


Three Names For Life

by Pandora_Imperatrix



Series: Four Names Verse [6]
Category: Batman - All Media Types, Gotham (TV), Teen Titans - All Media Types
Genre: (and that includes Babs), BatCat, BatCat will have some nasty fights too, Batfamily (DCU) Fluff, Batfamily Angst (DCU), Batfamily Drama (DCU), Batfamily Dynamics (DCU), Domestic Batfamily (DCU), F/M, LMAO, Lots of that too, References to Ancient Greek Religion & Lore, Selina is Dick's lawyer but Helena is Bruce's, Sibling Bonding, YES YOU GOT IT, but I always promise a happy ending, children unfortunately get hurt in this story, here we go again, it's a batfamily story, motherhood and fatherhood are explored, no batcest, that's back too, they all love each other veeeeeeeeeeeery much, this story has a dickkory secret agenda lmao, tons of that
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-12
Updated: 2021-02-21
Packaged: 2021-03-05 05:27:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 39
Words: 84,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25229056
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pandora_Imperatrix/pseuds/Pandora_Imperatrix
Summary: Bruce is having trouble accepting that Dick is growing out of the little boy who said yes to everything. Selina still don't like using her children as soldiers and her anxieties worsen as they welcome the new additions to the Wayne clan. Helena wants to fight crime and is beginning by stopping her own family to kill each other. Alfred just want to put this vigilante nonsense to rest.In this story the Wayne family learn painful truths about trust, acceptance, change and that life and death are only two sides of the same coin.
Relationships: Alfred Pennyworth & Everyone, Dick Grayson & Helena Wayne, Dick Grayson & Teen Titans, Dick Grayson/Koriand'r, Jason Todd & Bruce Wayne, Selina Kyle & Bruce Wayne & their kids, Selina Kyle & Jason Todd, Selina Kyle/Bruce Wayne
Series: Four Names Verse [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1791787
Comments: 195
Kudos: 138





	1. Eileithyia - Part I

> _"For love may come and tuck it on the shoulder_  
>  _Some starless nights_  
>  _A just in case you feel you wanna hold her_  
>  _You'll have a pocket full of starlight"_
> 
> _\- Catch a Falling Star by Perry Como_

There was so many people touching Selina's belly. And to make it worse they were all talking over each other.

“Shut up! She won’t move again because she’s scared about all the noise you are making. Geez”

“Actually, Selina, the mother’s uterus is a very noisy place.” Lectured Bruce, he was reading tons of books about pregnancy lately, sometimes waking Selina in the middle of her nap to talk about this SUPER NEWS EXCITING THING he just found out that was usually disgusting and not exciting at all when you are the person growing a wholeass baby inside your guts. “She can hear your heart for example, and your breath-“

“She’ll hear me killing her father too if you don’t shut up about the noises inside my body.”

Bruce made a huge show of being offended.

“Alfred, why did you let me marry someone so mean?”

Alfred who was Selina’s favourite person now because he was the only one that actually asked if she wanted him to feel her belly instead of just assuming like the rest of her family and some completely strangers, gave Bruce an amused scoff.

“It’s very bold or very naïve of you to assume I have a say in any of your life choices, Master Bruce.”

The children laughed.

Bruce gave them a mock glare.

“I’m taking both of you off my will.”

“Oh! She moved! Dick did you feel it?” Asked Selina covering Dick’s hand with her own.

Dick frowned. He was still shorter than most of boys his age, but nowadays he was towering over Selina and Helena, all gangly and shaggy hair.

“Kinda? I don’t know? Did you, Lena?”

“No... Nothing. She never moves when I’m trying to feel her. I resent that!”

“She is a quiet baby.” Mused Selina rubbing Dick’s hand absently, then she looked up to Helena. “You were not like that at all. People could actually see you moving.”

“When did she move last, Mistress?”

Selina winced.

“Don’t call me that. Urgh. But I think it was this morning. When I was brushing my teeth...”

“Maybe she likes when you brush your teeth.” Pondered Helena.

“I like when you brush your teeth.”

Selina tried to kick Bruce’s shin for that commentary, and mumbled something about him being the one kissing her after she threw up and not being her fault if he was disgusting, he just gave her a shit-eating grin. Helena rolled her eyes, her parent’s flirting was so silly.

“What else?”

“I don’t know... Bruce was murdering some ancient song in the shower-“

“Yes! Didn’t I tell you? The father’s voice!” Said Bruce with triumph.

Selina and the children groaned.

“Oh no...” Lamented Helena.

Bruce took a deep breath. Selina put her hands on her ears and the children started booing even before he stated singing badly.

“Caaaaatch a falling star and put it in your pocket-“

“Sir, your phone is ringing.”

“Oh thank god!” Deadpanned Selina.

“But did she move?” Asked Dick.

“Nah, she has a decent tas- Oh my god.” Selina’s whole face changed from contempt to joyful horror. “She moved! Come!” She snatched her husband’s hand and put it on her belly. “Feel it! Bruce, keep murdering the song!”

That was all he needed to hear.

The phone call was completely forgotten.

Selina was brought up from her nap on the library’s couch by shouting.

“You were careless, civils could have been hurt.”

From the grandfather clock first came Helena, she was silent, but with an anxious look on her face, she was followed by her father who usually dropped his vigilante persona in the cave and was fully just Bruce Wayne, husband and father when he reached upstairs. Today was different. Batman was in the library, Selina could almost swear the room got a little darker and colder thanks to his presence.

Dick was the last to arrive, his face was red and blotchy, even from distance Selina could see he was holding his tears. He was almost sixteen now, the sweetness of his boyhood mixing with all the hard edges of the man he was becoming. A man that Bruce was having trouble to welcome.

“I was not! I didn’t even have the chance to be. Because even after almost for years you don’t trust me. I can handle myself, Bruce!”

“What is happening?” She asking standing up with a little trouble.

“Nothing.” Answered Bruce quickly. “What are you doing here? You should be in bed.”

Selina glared at her husband.

“I’m not one of your children.” She snapped. “I asked, what is happening?” And then she turned her eyes to Dick. “Well?”

He clenched his fists and jaw, avoiding her gaze.

“Why do I even try? I’m going to bed. Goodnight, Sel, Lena.”

And he left.

Selina tried to call Dick back, but he was fast gone. She turned to her husband angrily.

“What the hell, Bruce?!”

“Helena, go to bed.” He ordered without looking at the girl.

“Dad…”

Bruce took a deep breath and tried to make a softer expression as he turned to her.

“Princess, please.”

“Okay.” She walked shyly to his father, stepping on her toes to kiss him on the cheek. “He’ll come around.” Then she turned to her mother, reaching for her hand and kissing it too. “Goodnight mommy.”

“Goodnight, kitten.”

Selina waited until her daughter was gone to turn back to Bruce, wordlessly waiting.

Bruce unclipped his cape, took off his gloves, and his cowl slowly. As pieces of Batman were scraped, bit by bit he became more human.

“The boy is reckless.”

“What happened exactly?”

“There was a hostage situation. A robbery at a small clinic next to the docks. Three civils could’ve been hurt or killed.”

“Did they?”

“No. But could’ve happened. I told Dick to wait for my signal and he didn’t. He disobeyed me. If I wasn’t fast enough someone could have been harmed. They had guns, Selina. _He_ could have been harmed.”

“I think you assumed that risk when you gave him a mask and a birdarang.”

“That’s not the point.”

“No, that’s exactly the point. Look, Bruce. I never liked this Robin thing, you know that. But you can’t do it both ways. You can tell him that he can put his life on line to fight crime and at the same time be angry when he does so.”

“He wouldn’t need to put his life on the line if he just obeyed.”

She gave a mirthless laugh.

“Just obey and never question. That’s it?”

“When we’re on the field, yes!”

“You are stupid. I mean, people say you’re a genius and all, but boy you are stupid. You didn’t raise him to blindly follow orders, dumbass. You raised him to think with his own head and follow his instincts. That’s what he’s doing.”

“He’s still too young-“

“Bruce he is almost sixteen. At that age, I’ve already died twice. Dick haven’t done that once. And you? You were so fucking reckless I don’t even know what to begin with. Give him some credit.” He didn’t answer anything. She offer her hand to him. “Come, let’s go to bed.” He took her hand, giving her an attempt of a smile. “But you are showering first. You are not going anywhere next to me with all that sweat and grim.”

He hugged her from behind lifting her from the floor and carrying her like a bride, Selina let out a string of curses and half-baked complaints as he walked both of them upstairs.

Dick cleaned his face on his pillow and answered a throaty “come on in” when he heard Helena knock their secret code on his door.

“Hey.” She said walking in and sitting at the end of his bed.

“What do you want, Lena?”

“Just ask if you’re okay…”

“I’m great.”

“Clearly.”

They exchanged a look, Dick made a face, and Helena giggled.

“Don’t be so mad at dad, you know he means well.”

“He still don’t trust me, Lena! After all these years!”

“That’s not true… He just… get scared.”

“B? Scared?”

“He lost his whole family once, Dick.”

“I know. I lost my whole family too!”

“Then you should get it, don’t you?”

“He completely undermanned me in front of the damn Riddler. That bastard laughed at me. I was mortified.”

It looked like she was laugh, but studying his face, Helena could see that he was really upset.

“I’m sorry, Dick.” She managed, trying hard to not be insensible.

“Yeah, I’m too.”

“At least you get to go in the field. He makes me train and train, but when I ask about my debut it’s always next time.”

“You are his little girl. And he’s afraid of your mom.”

“And Alfred.”

She gave him a smile coaching one in retribution.

“And Alfred!”

Dick wasn’t one for half smiles, not even when he was deeply upset, it was like there was a switch behind his back, he’s go from anger to joy in a second. And there it was, the thousand watt grin he was so adored for.

“Will you be okay?”

He took a deep breath.

“Yeah.”

“You and dad should still talk, later, when you’re less mad at each other.”

“He won’t apologise, Lena. You know how he is.”

“I know he loves you. And you him.” She hugged him. “I know I do.”

“I love you too, Lena.”

She kissed his cheek.

“Goodnight, D.”

“Goodnight.”

On the other side of the town a boy was disgruntled. Angry and sad, that’s what disgruntled meant according to his dictionary. He had three. None of them whole. One began on “f” and another went just until the word “yonder”. And one was so old that still had the n-word. But it had amazing pictures that he sometime, with mediocre success, tried to copy when he managed to find pens. Most of what he found were just fillers crackheads discarded on alleyways, they were too thin and hard to grasp. So it wasn’t his fault that the drawings were shitty. Well, the reason why he was disgruntled – and cold, and hungry, and dirty, and tired – was that the book he found the day before that the thought was whole it was actually missing the pages in which he’d find out what happed to Mr. Rochester’s estate.

It appeared that Jane ended up married to him, and that he was blind now, but Jason would never find how that happened and that was really a bummer. Most books had very obvious endings, the villain died, the good people got married and all was well. But knowing what happened had never been what attracted Jason to reading, knowing how it would happen was all the fun.

And now he wouldn’t get even that.

The rain started to fall harder, he curled into himself to avoid the water and tried to keep warm. He didn’t know if he was shaking of cold or anger, he settled for a mix of both.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, so... I'm really doing it 8D  
> This story will be more plot packed than Four Names. I will follow canon plot points but not all of them and I will make changes.  
> I don't know if I'll update as frequently as I did with Four Names, well see. I do have the whole story planned so don't worry about it.  
> This will be really angsty sometimes so heads up.  
> Thank you all for the validation you give me, I'm really so happy I find such a nice community of people.  
> Take care.


	2. Eileithyia – Part II

Dick Grayson was not having a good day. Bruce had him to pretend he was bad at gymnastics in purpose at school and not only he was forbidden to apply to competitions, that morning he forgot lost himself at a familiar drill and had to fake a fall to cover it up and people made fun of him all day. Usually it wouldn’t bother him. He was popular and beloved at Gotham High even though he wasn’t in any sports, the only club the was allowed to enter, and only to make his curriculum look passable, was technology. And as much as he liked the nerdy kids, they weren’t a lot fun. The silver lining was Barbara. She was the best both with computers and gymnastics, and his little crush had persisted all those years, becoming real infatuation. Too bad she was always sending what looked to him like mixed signals. It confused and frustrated him, but lately he had letting his hopes grow since she said yes for a date. An actual date. No little sisters tagging along.

He was really looking up to it, until she cancelled over text. And she didn’t give him any good explanation either. Just said something came up and that was it. Dick wanted to scream, and then interrogate Helena about it, or just vent to somebody, but Babs was a touchy subject to Helena lately too. They grew distant and awkward with each other over the years, and Helena would get uncharacteristically standoffish every time Alfred mentioned their previously established attachment.

So, he decided to dive deep into fighting crime work, there was this hacker he had been investigating for the last months on his own. They were some sort of misguided Robin Hood, stealing from rich corporations and making large donations for non-profits all over the country. And as much the concept wasn’t bad, Dick had learnt with Bruce to always look underneath and that most of the worse criminals began their lives of crime trying to do good. The irony of the underground activities of his own adoptive family wasn’t lost to Dick. But it was a fun puzzle and he needed the distraction. He got even more obsessed when the hacker noticed that whomever they were, someone noticed their activities and was in their tail, sending Dick prank emails and calls, mostly harmless stuff, and sometimes even somewhat funny like the one time opened an email that forced his phone to download an app that make a bag appear on his screen. The bag said “eat me” on it, and when Dick tapped to open it, little colourful penises popped out. It would have been funnier to him if his phone didn’t have died forever after that.

When he tried to reach the Batcave he learnt that the code had changed.

Alfred appeared when he was trying his code for the fifth time.

“What the hell, Al? Why is the door jammed? Did this old thing broke?”

“The door is not jammed or broken, Master Richard. Your guardian, in a rare moment of lucidity, if I must say, decided that fighting crime might not a job for a young man as yourself, and that you need a break.”

“What?! He can’t do that!”

Alfred just raised an eyebrow and Dick took two deep breaths trying to control the rage shaking his entire body.

“Master Bruce also asked me to inform you that new brochures from the schools you can apply to arrived today. They are on your desk.”

Dick gritted his teeth in deep annoyance.

“Not _that_ again! I’m not going to college! I’ve said that so many times!”

“You do not need to decide now, Master Richard.” Said Alfred in a softer but still very patronizing way.

“But I have! I’ve decided I’m not going. And that I will keep being Robin. You and Bruce need to understand that, Alfred! Is Selina home?” Selina might not like him on the field but she’d never betray him like that imposing her will without taking his in consideration, Bruce was an entire different story.

“Mistress Selina is at the gallery. And she has a huge client today and should not be disturbed over this.”

Feeling emotionally exhausted, Dick just shook his head giving Alfred a hurt look.

“You know, I never expected that from you Al. Not from you.”

Alfred watched the boy leave with a tight chest, but didn’t try to stop him. As much as it broke his heart to see his young Master so upset, it was better that way. A sad child is always preferred than a dead one.

“You’re smelling funny.”

Bruce’s lips twitched. Turns out pregnant Selina’s nose was even more sensible than regular Selina’s and that was saying something. Alfred was constantly brooding and muttering to himself every time Selina complained about the smells around the house. He had to change cleaning products, and start buying flowers because his garden grown roses were making her sick. And the food… Oh the food. Granted, she liked to complain about the food before, because she knew it annoyed the butler, that was what their relationship was like, and Bruce had sincerely given up understanding years ago. But she always ate everything he put on her plate and even took seconds. Now she would refuse to even enter the room if something tickled her nose wrong. Alfred would make a whole show of being offended, but the truth was that he was worried that Selina wasn’t eating well, and Bruce saw him on the phone with Lee more than once asking what else he could try.

“What is it today?” Bruce said sitting opposed to Selina, he was taking her for lunch. The gallery was in no way close to his office, but he didn’t care.

“I don’t know. Something citric, fruity.”

“Shouldn’t that be good?”

“No. Ew.” She scrunched her entire face in disgust.

“Riiight.” The waiter took their orders and left. Selina leaned on her seat and threw her legs on Bruce’s lap under the table. “How is the pain today?”

“It’s fine.” She sighed. “What really annoys me is how people talk to me now. Some oldass man called me ‘mommy’.”

Bruce faked a cough to disguise a chuckle.

“I’m sorry.”

“No you’re not. I fucking hate you, Bruce.”

He just gave her a small but very, veeeeery pleased smirk and started massaging one of her feet.

Bruce just watched the pleasure spread over her face at his ministrations and when she looked relaxed enough he said:

“I’ve locked Dick off the room.” The ‘room’ was the word for the cave when they were in their civvies.

“Really?” She said taking a sip of her water.

“Aren’t you mad?”

“Me? Why would I be? I never wanted him messing with that stuff to begin with.”

“But you said I should trust him.”

“And I do think you should. But with normal teenager boy things. Give him a car, I don’t know. That other stuff? Crazy. Not a fan. You talked to him first?”

“I left a note with Alfred.”

Selina gave him a judging glare.

“Of course you did, you absolute jerk.” She sighed. “He’ll throw a fit when we get home. So much for a quite night.”

“Look how domestic you got, Cat. Never took you for one to enjoy peace and quiet.”

“I’m a pregnant mother of three, soon four, I get to like peace and quiet.”

The waiter came back with their orders, Bruce let go off Selina’s feet, but they remained on his lap as their sanitized their hands and started to eat.

“I know what it is now. Tangerines, ew. You reek of tangerines.” She said in such way that one would have thought she was accusing him of a horrible crime instead of smelling of fruit.

“You couldn’t say what it was before, but now you can with all these food’s smells mixed?”

“I don’t control it!” She then made a suspicious face. “And I know where this smell comes from. That slut from your work that I met at Lucius’s party. She reeked of some tangeriney perfume.”

Bruce choked on his cauliflower.

“What are you talking about?” He never had seen her act like that before. He didn’t remember whom she was talking about. And hell, flirting with other people was one of their favourite seduction games and she was so much better at it than he was.

“Don’t give me that! You know exactly who I am talking about! That Cindy, Lindsey. I don’t know. She had the nerve to hit on you in front of me!”

Bruce blinked he was having to bite the insides of his cheeks.

Selina suddenly stopped, breathing hard.

“What just happened?” She asked with a horrified face.

Bruce, having serious trouble to not break in a loud laugher, cleaned his throat.

“I don’t know, love. But it seemed to me that you got super jealous out of the blue.”

“Of you?” She made a disgusted face.

“I know,” he said in a condescending tone “I’m surprised too.”

“Don’t flatter yourself.”

“It looked like what it looked like though.” He teased, the smile escaping, it had been years since her cheeks looked that red.

“Shut up!”

Helena arrived from her dancing lesson to find an uninvited but always welcome guest on her bed. Dick was lying on the frilly purple beddings sideways, using an old stuffed seal of hers to cover his face.

“Am I in the wrong room?”

Making it somehow look extra dramatic, Dick sadly took the toy off his face turning his face to look at her without getting up.

“Hi, Lena.”

Helena gave him an amused smile and dumped her pink gym bag on the floor despite Alfred’s constant complaints that she shouldn’t do that, and joined her brother sitting next to him, taking the toy plushie from him and using it to hit him lightly on his belly.

“What’s wrong? Did Babs turned you down again?”

She meant it as a joke but regret filled her when he let you a loud groan and covered his face again, now with his hands.

“That bad? Why don’t you just give up, Dick? You know I love Babs and I love you and you will be my OTP forever, but I don’t think she’s that into you…”

“Thanks, Lena.”

“Just saying…”

He sighed.

“This isn’t about _her_ , but thanks for reminding me anyway.” He said bitterly. “It’s about B. He locked up the cave.”

“Oh… I thought that could happen. It’s not the end of the world you know.” The way she said that got his attention. Dick uncovered his face and used his forearms to prop his torso, his eyes clenched to Helena.

“How so?”

“I have a way in.”

“What?”

“I’m my mother’s daughter, Dickie. And this place’s-”

“Security sucks.” He finished with her. They shared a maniac grin before getting up.

“Grab your hiking boots.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The angst will hit soon, but first: FLUFF.
> 
> Enjoy while you can.
> 
> Selina totally teaches her children to break into and out of their own house. I actually think is a very useful ability as someone who has been locked in and out her own house countless of times.
> 
> The tangerine stuff was inspired by the First Aid Kit song. The idea was get Selina all coy and adorable from jealousy, but that didn’t fit her personality at all so it ended like that LMAO.
> 
> I also hate the smell of tangerines, makes me sneeze.


	3. Eileithyia - Part III

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy b-day to my boy Timmy. The cutest Robin.

Dick understood what Helena meant by being her mother’s daughter forty minutes after when he found himself walking through a part of Wayne Estate the subterranean caves that he never went before.

“Are you sure you know where we are?”

“Yup.”

“Lena… You don’t have to try to help me.”

“You are kinda self-centred sometimes, have someone ever told you that?”

He made an offended face.

“Why the insult out of the blue?!”

“It wasn’t an insult, just an observation.”

“Well, it sounded like an insult to me.”

“And don’t you think constantly doubting my abilities and knowledge isn’t insulting too?”

“Lena… Are we fighting now? Because I don’t want fight you too.”

She stopped and sighed.

“I’m sorry. I just… I know what I’m doing okay? I have been breaking into the cave for years.” They walked in silence for a few minutes until she turned her torch to a narrow opening between the rocks. “We’re here. Hold this.” She gave him the torch and squeezed herself between the rocks. And she was gone.

Dick blinked and pale hand appeared like it was growing from the rocky wall.

“Come.”

“I don’t think I fit.”

“Of course you do!”

He was happy to be proved wrong and that his training was more focussed in enhancing his already well-developed elasticity than brute strength giving him a more lean than bulky build, for the first time he was also happy he wasn’t the tallest of the fifteen years olds… Bruce would never be able to sneak into such a narrow space and maybe that’s why he never cared to close the passage.

Soon after they crossed over Dick saw himself under the blinking lights of the monstrous Batcomputer. 

“Why did you never tell me?” He asked in awe.

His eyes falling on the small figure of Helena, she was hugging herself.

“Because you’re Robin! You get to be Robin. You, dad and mom go out risking your lives and I get to stay home and look pretty.”

“I’m sorry, Lena.”

“Yeah, I know you are.”

“I really am.” She just looked away. Dick approached her. “Hey… You’re not even that pretty.”

Her lips twitched and she didn’t look as upset anymore.

“You jerk.”

“I mean, it’s good that you are smart enough to fool the Batman, because your looks aren’t very impressive.”

“I’m so going to kill you.” She ran in his direction and a few years before they would totally used the opportunity to play tag around the cave and break something, but after letting himself being caught Dick started paying attention to the Batcomputer. He had completely forgotten why he wanted to get in cave to being with, until the cameras Bruce had illegally installed around the city picked a robbery happening to a mall.

“Stop it, Lena.” Complained Dick as she tried to wrestle him. “Look!” And he pointed to the Batcomputer screen.

Things were about to get serious when in a very surprising feat by Gotham standards the police appeared and apprehended the perp.

“That was underwhelming.” Said Dick.

“I have something else to show you.”

“Yeah? What is it?”

“Promise you won’t laugh.”

“The law forbids me of doing so.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Oh didn’t you know? The law that forces all of us older siblings to make fun of the younger ones when the chance makes itself present?”

“Gosh, sometimes I hate you.”

“No you don’t. Come on, show me.”

“No. You will be mean.”

“I’m never mean.”

“You just were right now.”

“Come on, Lena. You know you want to.”

“You know how I’ve pushing dad to let me debut?”

“Yeah.”

“We’ve made a suit.”

“Really?!”

“Well, we’ve started one, but then he just stopped a bit before the marriage, I think he wanted to be in mom’s good graces. I tried to finish it, but I’m not very good at sewing. I inherited mom’s shitty arts and crafts abilities.”

Dick’s memories flooded with various hilarious failed projects that Selina tried to give birth too over the years, they only got worse. The last one was a mobile to the baby’s room. The felt kittens instead of cute looked like failed lab experiments with racoons. Even Alfred poked fun on her, and they had been extra nice to each other since she got pregnant. His mouth twitched. He wanted to mock-lament that she could have inherited Selina’s good looks instead, but even thought the law demanded the making fun of little sisters, he wanted to see what she had made.

“Show meeeee!”

“Okay.” But she looked pretty excited and run to the wing where Bruce kept their spare suits and gear to fix and make new ones.

Dick watched half-amused, half-concerned as she mumbled to herself as the searched thought the metal wall of identic vaults. Finally, Helena pulled a black trunk from all the vaults and put on a table, grinning manically.

“We were trying to work around mom’s cat concept since I’d be Catgirl and stuff…”

“Catgirl?”

“If you laugh…”

“I’m not laughing! I think it’s cute. Catgirl.”

“Right…”

“So, it’s not colourful as yours, the idea was for me to target enemies from afar with my crossbow, like some kind of sniper. You know how dad is with anyone else but him fighting the perps directly. Even mom gets shit over that.”

“Yes, B thinks we are all made of glass.” She just sighed not disagreeing. “But I think it’s smart in you case. I’m not saying you are not capable, Lena. I just think you’d be more useful shooting people from distance too.”

“Meh. It’s be okay-ish if he even let me do that. Anyway. Dun dun dun. There it is!” She opened the trunk.

“Can I?” 

“Yes!”

He picked the mask first.

“Awww. It has cat years, Lena! But shouldn’t it hide you hair?”

“Why?”

“I don’t know… I mean, granted dark hair like yours isn’t very easy to see at night neither it’s uncommon so it won’t really reveal your identity, but even though it’s not your dad’s intention to put you in the middle of the battle it might happen sometimes. And perps will not fight fair. They will pull your hair.”

“Haven’t thought about that… But I don’t think I want to wear a cowl like mom and dad, it looks oppressive.”

“You can just, I don’t know, pin it?”

“What if it unravels in the middle of a fight?”

“You can cut it…”

Helena’s hands went to her long dark curls.

“Like the colours. But don’t you think pink is a bit too obvious?”

“Dad picked it.”

“And you went along with it?”

“I mean… It does look cute.”

Dick raised an eyebrow, despite her goth parents, Helena was unapologetically girly and even somewhat preppy. On the family picture hanging over the library’s fireplace you could see, Selina sitting in the middle, her long black velvet dress, tailored leather jacket and pearl necklace, Alfred – who had to be blackmailed to be in the picture – and Bruce behind her, both also in black, and Dick and Helena by their mother’s side popping colour on the canvas. Helena in her purple formal dress with glittery stars embroidered and Dick proudly wearing the bright red and green vest from his circus days with his tux, and no jacket.

“The boots are really cool too.” He said holding a bright pink lace up ankle-boot.

“I know right? They are my favourite part. I have a belt too, and a quiver. I want to try the whip too one day, but I’d have to convince mom to train me, and you know that there are few things harder.”

“I don’t understand. You said you didn’t finish it. It looks finished to me.”

“Well, most of the belt’s pockets are empty, and I’m having trouble with the invisible zipper and the sewing on these corners” She showed him.

“Oh, that’s a little tricky.”

“Can you help me?”

Dick grinned.

“Have I EVER said no to you?”

She frowned and clenched her eyes dramatically.

“So many, so many times, I can’t even-“

“Slaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaander!”

Helena’s too long for a superhero hair was being blown by the wind and she as Dick licked their ice-cream cones on the top of a building. The deal was going out and trying on her suit only out of Gotham’s eyes. He showed off his acrobatic moves as they jumped from building to building and dared Helena to hit him with a dull edged birdarang. It was really hard, he was so fast and she even accused him of giving her a tampered birdarang, but he denied and claimed that he was just that good. When she tried again after he said that the birdarang hit him full on the mouth while he was taunting her. Fortunately, he didn’t lose any teeth, but they got the ice-creams after that.

“I like Darla.” Said Helena thoughtful.

“Who is Darla?”

“For the baby, silly.”

“That’s a terrible name, Lena. I’m very sorry for my future godchildren.”

“Meanie.” She gave her cone a couple of licks, before noticing Dick’s serious face. “What is it?”

“Do you think he is being different since the baby?”

“What?”

“B… I’m not jealous or anything. I mean, I’m super happy I’m getting one more of you even though I pity that kid a lot, because she’ll have a face like yours.” He ducked away when she tried to hit him. “But me and B… We didn’t fight like that before…”

“I think you _are_ jealous.”

“I’m not!”

“No, just listen. I’m a little bit too. I’m so glad I’m getting a little sister,” she rolled her eyes “so happy I won’t be the overprotected baby anymore, but…” Helena sighed. “I’m sad too. She’ll have very different parents than I had. People tried to convince me for so long that dad was dead. Mom wouldn’t even say his name, she was so hurt and for such a long time.” She closed her eyes at the painful memories. “You wouldn’t believe it, but she was so different. Harder. I can’t help but think it’s unfair that this unborn baby will get to have everything without going all through the stuff I went to. I think, sometimes, you and I, I’m not trying to compare what you went through with my stuff, but you know… It felt like we've won something over hardship… I know it’s silly, but I think it’s a bit unfair that Darla will just have it from day one.”

“If they name her Darla, I’m unadopting myself and taking her with me.”

Helena chocked in laughter.

“But I get it, Lena. I do.”

“I also don’t think you and dad are fighting because of the baby either. I mean, the baby has something to do with it, because he’s been more careful since mom announced the pregnancy. I think you are fighting so much because he haaaaaaates seeing us growing up.”

“B? Nah, I don’t think so.”

“When you had your first kiss he moped the whole day. When I had my period mom said he cried.”

“Oh my god. B is so ridiculous.”

“Be nice, Dick.”

“No, I’m serious. He is.”

Helena was about to talk on her father’s behalf again when she noticed something behind Dick’s shoulder.

“They’ll hurt her! We have to help!”

“What?” He turned to look behind. He’s whole posture changed. “No. Stay put. I’m calling de police.”

“They won’t get here in time! Let’s help her, Dick!”

“No. You promised to not engage, remember?”

“Come on! You’ll just let them get away with it?”

“Lena…”

“I’d do it alone, then!”

She jumped away before he could stop her, the half-eaten cone falling on the ground.

“HEL- CATGIRL! WAIT!”

But she was already fighting the three masked men. She looked so small among them, Dick’s heart never beat any faster. He tried to control his emotions and got a wave of relief when he noticed that even without his help she had the upper hand over the situation. The middle-aged woman that was attacked was sitting on the floor, scared but whole. Helena had already knocked up one man when Dick joined her, and finished the other off. 

“Go help the victim.” He told her, and she obeyed, knelling by the woman’s side and talking to her in a calming tone.

Dick cuffed the third guy and turned his face up in time to see a fourth man that they didn’t have noticed before, he had a gun pointed to Helena.

Dick didn’t think, he just acted. 

Selina woke up startled.

“Bruce?” She let air leave her lungs slowly. “I think I had a terrible dream. I can’t remember it.”

No response.

She reached for his side of the bed. It was cold and empty. She frowned he should have been beside her snoring hours ago. The workaholic asshole had spent another night at the cave. The baby was pressing her bladder and she almost didn’t make to the bathroom fast enough. She came out from the bathroom and the bad sensation caused from the nightmare she still couldn’t remember deepen when she noticed the time on Bruce’s digital alarm clock. She had come home exhausted and fallen on the bed without even greeting the children, but it was almost morning. Bruce should have been home already. She waddled to Helena’s old room just to remember the girl moved her room to the east wing soon after Selina moved in, something about “child trauma causing noises”.

Selina remembered her phone and returned to the master bedroom to find the 15 missing calls from Helena. Five from Bruce. None form Dick. She looked at the texts Helena sent, they were weird and incoherent, she kept insisting Selina to be calm, terrible sign. She listened to Bruce’s voice message. Air left her lungs. Her heart beating to hard she felt dizzy. Selina pressed the button calling for Alfred and his worried face is the last thing she saw before blacking-out.

Next time she woke Bruce was by her side, looking terrible.

“Where is he? Where is Dick?” She asked, her vision still blurred, her voice croaky.

“Selina, calm down.” He tried. His controlled voice enraging her.

“No! I won’t calm down!” She tried to push her body up, Bruce held her down gently. She wants to scratch his face not noticing how hollow he look. “Where is he, Bruce?!”

“He’s in the hospital. He is doing fine. They removed the bullet.” His voice sounds detached. Distant. “He will have to stay put for a while, but he’s fine, Selina.”

She tries a couple of breathes and stop fighting him.

“Oh, thank god! When can I see him?”

“Selina…” His voice changes, failing.

Terror floods her heart.

“What?”

“You’re in bed rest.” He barely manages in a tense whisper.

She looks confused and distraught.

“What are you talking about?”

“Lee said it was your blood pressure. After you heard about Dick, it got too high.” He gabs her hand in his, pressing I against his face. “You are at risk of pre-eclampsia. I’m sorry, my love.” As Selina watches her mighty fortress of a husband let go and just dissolve like a pile of sand, she wonders how horrible his last hours had been and her heart breaks. “But you have to stay in bed.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was longer than the usual, the next one will be more on the shorter side, and the next one I don’t know I haven’t written it yet XD But I know it will be more action packed, this story has too much plot happening all the time I have no idea how this happened I’m not a plotter I’m a panster. I do character driven stuff, people talking in kitchens so this is all new for me.
> 
> Thank you everybody supporting this story you guys are amazing. See you soon!


	4. Eileithyia - Part IV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm on chapter 6 so you get chapter 4. Enjoy<3

“Hey, kitten” the service inside the hospital was not good, and even though he was not in danger anymore, Leslie had refused to transfer Dick to the clinic or home at least for the first days of post op, so, the only way Selina got to see Dick was through the pixelated screen of her tablet.

“Hey, Sel.” His hoarse week voice answered. “Are you okay?”

“Shouldn’t I be the one asking that?”

“Bruce said… the baby…” He still had a lot of drugs in his system, and his slurred prosody showed.

“She is fine. I’m fine too. You are the one we should be worrying about.”

The smile the had been trying to force became a grimace.

“I’m sorry.”

“Helena told me what happened. How you protected her. I’m so proud, but you scared us. What would I do if I lost you, honey? You need to be more careful.”

The intense way she said that, the worried expression on her face. He expected rage, relief when it came to Helena being saved instead of him, in his nightmares, he even feared apathy, but what he saw was so genuine concern and love, and that made him feel so much worse. She would call him kitten from time to time, but with Selina it always had an edge of dark playfulness that implied that she was poking fun of you, she was so rarely that sweet and sincere. He felt dirty and guilty.

“I’ll be.” Dick managed, trying to control his tears.

“Do you promise?” Her image glitched.

“Yeah.”

“What?”

“Yes!” He tried a little louder, it hurt his throat.

“Good.” She said, seeming to notice he was in no position to talk longer. “Get better fast to come home soon.”

“Uhum.” He tried to swallow the knot in his throat.

After Selina hang up, Bruce took the tablet off Dick’s, hands and helped him get more comfortable on the bed.

“Are you okay? Do you want something?”

“Water.”

Bruce helped Dick swallow a few sips of water giving support to his back and single working arm. The shot had been on his right shoulder and the boy had his right arm and entire half-upper body immobilized.

“Do you want more?” Asked Bruce when Dick finished half of the glass.

“No.” He breathed, relaxing back. “I’m okay. Thanks.”

Bruce remained in silence for a while, just observing the boy, Dick tried to ignore him, he had slept for the last 48 hours but he still felt tired. This was the first time he was really awake, but he remembered flashes from Helena crying as she held him on the floor, her face smeared with blood. His blood. Her hands pressing against his wounded shoulder, the shooter had thankfully fled instead of keeping attacking them, but he didn’t now what happened before that. Bruce’s voice, but not his face, he sounded so cold and angry, but Dick couldn’t understand what he was saying. Alfred was there at some point after the surgery. Doctor Thompkins’ eyes above her medical mask. And then now.

Only Bruce was in the room with him when he woke up. He looked so tired. The bags under his eyes darker than the usual, Dick couldn’t remember a time when he looked so rumpled and unshaven, not even when he and Selina broke up when he was younger. They didn’t talk a lot, Bruce just called the nurse when Dick opened his eyes and after the medical staff left his room, Bruce explained why Selina was absent in a detached tone, he called her and gave Dick the tablet to talk with her.

“I know you are aware now,” Bruce began, after a while, “but what you and Helena did was irresponsible, brainless and stupid.”

Dick winced in pain and sighed.

“Bruce… Can we not?”

“No. We can’t. You have no idea of the hell this family went through the last two days.”

The shot of anger gave Dick some energy o answer back.

“Are you really saying that to me? That I don’t know? I was the one to take the bullet, Bruce!”

Bruce shook his head. What hurt Dick the most was the disappointment in his entire body language.

“I’ve could lost you, Helena, Selina and the baby at the same time because of your thoughtless act. Yes, Helena told me it was her fault that you engaged, but you are the oldest, Dick. You are Robin. You should have known better. So no. I don’t think you do know.”

Dick didn’t know what to say after that. The guilty and anger stirring in his stomach were making him sick and ashamed of himself, he thought of Selina, and the baby, terror spreading though his veins. It was becoming hard to breath.

“And because of that, because right now I can see that I’ve made a mistake. I thought you were mature enough, but I was wrong. You are just a child.”

“What you mean?”

“You are fired.”

“What?”

“There will be no more Robin.”

“You can’t do that!”

Bruce remained in silence, enduring all the hurt and betrayal in Dick’s gaze.

As a sign of Dick’s distress, the machines connected to him began to make a lot of noise and the nurse came back.

“What happened? Is everything okay.”

Dick didn’t hear what Bruce said to the nurse, all his senses muddled up by his turmoil, he felt his heart beating too hard, he was hyperventilating and the bandages around his chest didn’t let his lungs expand.

“Bruce!” He tried, but the nurse firmly pushed him back to the bed, the pain from his wound like hot iron when he tried to move against the strange man. He looked horrified as he saw something being injected in his vein and the pain dulled, his consciousness dissolving. 

“Rest.” Said Bruce, and Dick saw him leave the room, before everything went dark he felt broken and alone.

Bruce acknowledged Alfred with a nod that was ignored by the butler as he handed his shift at being with Dick in the hospital over. The old man had said anything to Bruce, anything at all in the past two days, but his feelings were clear than water. The house was eerily silent when he arrived, he tried to ignore the memories of getting home after the worst night of his life, he was not twelve years old anymore, and no one was dead. But still, the feeling persisted. Bruce thought about eating something, but the thought of frozen food made him sick, so he headed to the master room. He found Selina asleep again, he clenched his jaw at the pills and the blood pressure checker by her bedside. A material reminder of how fragile his new reality was, how dangerous was taking it for granted. In Selina’s usual fashion, she woke up as soon as he entered the room despite his stealthy steps.

“Hey.” He said undressing from his jacket and shoes.

Selina stirred.

“Oh, you’re home. Thank god.” Her sleep heavy voice said.

“Are you okay?” He asked, almost not recognizing the sound as the words formed, they felt alien, detached of himself.

“No,” she said, the sleepiness gone, she looked so small despite her voluminous baby bump, so pale, he hard the absurd feeling that if he touched her, she would disappear. “And you?”

“Terrible.” Bruce answered anyway.

Selina sighed, patting the bed beside her.

“Come here.”

He gave her a sad miserable half smile and obeyed, she turned on her side, letting his much bigger frame spoon her from behind. He was smelling of hospital antiseptics. And although it tickled Selina's nose wrong – as most things these days – she didn’t care. She just want to feel him against her, warm, solid, real, here.

“Where is Helena?” He asked, one of his hands covering hers over her belly, another playing with her hair. She had stopped getting highlights since the beginning of the pregnancy, it was darker now.

“In her room… She had been there all day. Crying.”

Bruce held her a little bit closer, hiding his face in her curls.

“Oh Selina… I’m so sorry.”

“I know. I don’t want to talk about it right now. I’m so tired, Bruce.”

“Me too” He inhaled her scent, trying to consume the most of he could of her. “I’m so sorry,” he mumbled again against her hair.

Selina knew he was, but it wasn’t enough and she couldn’t say so, she didn’t need to.

Bruce avoided the Batman for a whole week. And even if it wasn’t entirely motivated by that, Alfred’s silence morphing into angry mutterings that it was that lifestyle was what caused all the horrible things that happened to their family weighted heavily on the scale.

And there was also Helena, his little princess, his life and joy, he knew she wasn’t dealing well with the whole situation of being on his bad side. That she was feeling guilty and blaming herself, but he couldn’t muster the courage to approach her. Because every time he looked at her all he could think was how close he came to losing everything again.

Once the warmest and fullest presence of life in the house, she now almost never left her room. She still diligently visited Dick every day after school, and Bruce found her sleeping next to her mother on his side of the bed a few times. But the always smiling, prankster master Helena was nowhere to be found. In her place was a quiet melancholic child. Never before she looked so much like him at that age. Bruce found a way to feel guilty about that too. Because at the end of the day, it was his fault, and following his steps was what made his children put themselves in danger as they had done. And he didn’t want to allow himself to tell her that and get her trying to make excuses for him, because he knew his child and that would be exactly what she’d do.

As the week progressed he even thought of letting go of Batman forever. Maybe it wasn’t impossible, maybe his the family he had made for himself was enough to fill the gaping hole in his heart. Maybe he had been wrong all this time. Maybe he had not being doing good as he thought he had all this time. Maybe he had been selfish and irresponsible.

Maybe he was more needed at home, being there for the people he loved the most than to a city of strangers.

And then Barbara Lee Gordon appeared on television, Jeremiah Valeska's distorted face next her horrified one, and a knife against her neck.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WHEN THE STORM PAAAAASSES WHEN THE SKY CLEAAAAAAAAAR OPEN YOUR WINDOWS AND SEE I’M THE SUUUUN   
> That song doesn’t work in English.  
> I should say I’m sorry, but am I? Not really.  
> This story will be angsty, I told you so. But won’t be pure melodrama, promise. Soon we’ll go back to our slice-of-life fluff fest… Kinda 8D.


	5. Eileithyia - Part V

The Joker, as he was calling himself now, left clear on his pirate broadcast that the kidnaping of the fourteen years old girl had been motivated by Batman’s absence. His obsession with Bruce Wayne had been transferred to Batman after his debut, and after Batman ruined a few of his plans. Bruce feared for his family in the beginning, but it looked like Valeska found his new family man persona boring, and Batman a much more interesting character to project his issues into. It didn’t make Bruce any less paranoid, though, he lived in fear that as much as the sick clown’s interest moved from Bruce Wayne to the Batman, it could change to a target less capable to deal with him.

It didn’t help that lately, instead of ignoring Robin, the Joker had been actively trying to target the boy when they fought. One more reason to make Bruce so uneasy with Dick’s new rebellious phase. And as much he was positive his campaign to avoid suspicions that Batman and Bruce Wayne were the same person had worked and that Lee had protected Dick’s identity on the day of the shooting. Word was out that Robin was down, and he had been stupid in thinking that news like that wouldn’t cause a stir in the underground.

Bruce was in his private gym trying to relieve himself from some of the stress he had been under when Helena ran into the room, a horrified look on her face. She was talking so fast he couldn’t understand what she was saying and her presence was also surprising, because she had been actively avoiding him.

“He took, Babs! He took her, daddy!”

“Helena, slow down.”

She nervously just pushed her tablet on his face and he saw the blood-freezing recording. Barbara Lee looking so fragile and young tied to a chair. There was a darkening bruise on her chin and her mouth was covered with duct tape, but no tears. Her eyes filled more with anger than fear.

He still couldn’t hear Helena when the screen went black and the first call came, Barbara. She must have been in a state of despair and about to do something stupid. She had been visiting Selina almost every day. Usually Bruce wouldn’t care for high doses of Barbara Kean in his life, but he had truly felt grateful with the support she had been giving his wife and children. And now that happen to her daughter. He felt anger pulse in his ears as he returned the tablet to Helena. Her face pale and covered in tears. He reached for her, his little girl, what if it was her? What if they were together? They used to be together all the time. His hands were shaking when he enveloped her face and gave a firm kiss on the top of her hair as she hugged him tightly, sobbing against his shirt.

“Go stay with your mother.”

“Dad…”

“I’ll fix this.”

“O-okay” she stuttered before hugging him harder once gain and then running away.

Batman’s cape flapped behind him as he landed on the roof of the GCPD. Gordon was waiting, smoking what looked to be two cigarettes at the time.

“I came as soon as I heard.”

“Thank god.”

“Did you get any more intel?”

“Other than threats of him sending her back piece by piece? I swear if he touches a single hair on her head…”

“You need to calm down, commissioner.”

“Easy for you to say! It isn’t your kid!”

The Batman stood in silence as Jim’s breath slowed down.

“I’m sorry. I know you got a kid in the hospital. That was uncalled for.”

“I’ll get her back, Jim.” Bruce said in his normal voice.

Jim cleaned his throat.

“I know you will.”

“He didn’t give any other clue?”

“I don’t know. He didn’t even ask for money, just for you.”

“Anything else?”

“He said something weird too, well, considering Valeska what isn’t weird? Freak! If he hurt my daughter…”

“Jim, focus.”

“He said he was tired of little children playing Robin Hood. I thought it was something about your boy, but what would he have anything to do with this?”

Bruce lids trembled shut. He knew what that was about.

He left before Gordon could complain about his sudden disappearances.

Bruce went back to the cave and dug into Dick’s research of a hacker that he had not payed much attention to. Terrible mistake that could cost the life of a girl who was basically his niece. Turns out, his wasn’t the only children messing up with dangerous adult stuff. He also felt a wave of pride for Barbara Lee, as he went through hers and Dick’s back and forth. She was so full of snark, it made him think about Selina by the same age. And the familiarity only made his heart sink heavier.

She had stolen the payment from a shipment of that was tied to his own investigations about the last illegal firearms’ deal the Joker had been involved with, he didn’t have shared the intel with Dick because he didn’t want him going after the Joker.

When it comes to it, the fault could always be traced to himself.

Bruce looked at the video Jeremiah had broadcasted again, this time the huge screen of the batcomputer giving him so much more details. He knew where Barbara Lee was.

There was something happening, something bad, and they were not telling her.

Barbara hadn’t come today. Even before bed rest it was rare a day she wouldn’t come or make a video call, mostly to complain about Jim, Lee, the school board and the last Rogue drama. Just your typical white co-parenting mom that was also a retired crime lord things. But since they put Selina in that bed she had come, personally, every single day. The snarky exchanges between her and Alfred would usually be Selina’s high point of the day. She would wheel Selina to the den, and drink Bruce’s old expensive booze without asking, bring a box of Selina’s favourite pastries and eat more than half of it by herself, but Selina still appreciated the sentiment.

But today she hadn’t come. She didn’t even call or answered Selina’s texts.

Maybe she was hooking up with someone, or busy with work, Selina had dropped the whole thing in the middle of the high season. But it was hard to believe the latter, Barbara didn’t _really_ work. Since she had the taste of handling a mob, an art gallery hardly brought her any excitement. And when she was hooking up with someone Selina usually would get way more details than she ever wanted to get, which was none.

The absence of her surrogate mother only made Selina’s inertia and solitude more obvious. She felt like an incubator, once she had been a person, her wants and desires mattered, no one could tell her what to do, what to eat, where to go, when to sleep. And now… Sometimes her huge rounded stomach felt completely alien. Not a part of her body at all. Those thoughts would let her guilty fester for resenting the child growing inside her like that, and at the same, feed the anger for letting herself be trapped in that situation, for being complacent with that, domesticated. For the first time in her whole life to be doing what she was told. She felt like her unborn daughter was stealing something from her, something that she was not sure she would be able to take back. Every time those horrible thoughts would hit a little voice inside her head would laugh darkly at her, it said “now you understand, now you see you are not so different from me” and sound exactly like Maria Kyle.

And to make matters worse Bruce was sleeping somewhere else. Her mind sometimes tortured her even further with the hypothesis that maybe he was also sleeping with someone else. Even though here was no proof of such thing, no indication whatsoever of that to be the case, but too long alone in the same room and the walls would start whispering, building chimeras, horrible ideas. And it didn’t help at all that every time he came to see her he would be looking so guilty.

But Selina’s day turned a definitive dark turn when Helena appeared as usual by six p.m. after visiting Dick. And instead of her never-ending talking and anecdotes she had a shaky smile and puffy eyes making Selina’s blood run cold.

“What happened?” She asked as soon as she got the first glimpse of her daughter’s face.

“Nothing, mommy.” The girl said avoiding her mother’s eyes.

“Helena Martha Wayne, don’t lie to me.” Said Selina in a harsh tone.

Helena sniffled, and for a moment it seemed like she would burst in tears, but she sucked air and walked forward, setting the tray with their tea on Bruce’s bedside table.

“I can’t tell you, mommy.”

“Was something at school? Did someone hurt you there? What about Dick? Is him alright? I talked with him earlier he seemed fine.”

“Mommy, calm down.” Said Helena taking Selina’s hand in hers. “Dick is fine, school is fine. But I really can’t tell you. Just... Everything is not alright now, but will be. I know it will.”

Selina took her free hand to her belly and tired to calm herself, she didn’t want to have another crises and worry her daughter even further.

“Oh honey…”

The girl curled by her mother’s side, hiding her face in Selina’s arm.

“Is it your dad?”

“No… Dad is fine too. Alfred is also alright, mommy, he made us tea before leaving to be with Dick, you should have some.”

“Hmmm.” Selina rubbed Helena’s arm and dipped her nose on the top of her head, her baby always smelled so good and it was nice to have her so close. “Can’t you really give me a clue?”

“Curiosity killed the cat.”

Selina chuckled.

“What a sassy kitten this daughter of mine.”

Helena lift her head, trying for a smile.

“Did Holly call today?”

“Yes, only for a few minutes. She’s studying hard, the poor thing.”

Helena purred softly.

“I can’t wait for her to come back.”

“Me neither.”

Helena’s face suddenly changed and she sobbed hard, hiding her face again. Selina felt despair course through her entire body.

“Helena why are you crying? Oh god just tell me!” She begged.

Helena cried and cried, but didn’t explain herself no matter how much Selina asked. After a while, she forced herself to just hold the girl against her boson, her heart in pieces and her brain came up with horrible theories of what could have been happening.

“Mommy…” Said Helena a bit calmer after a while.

“Yes, kitten.”

“Can’t we just watch a Disney movie?”

Selina studied her daughter’s face. Helena was losing the softness of girlhood, when did her gaze became so mature? They looked older than her chubby face. Selina felt her heart shrink painfully.

“Of course, honey.”

“Let her go.” Said Bruce from above, using the shadows the various machines that the abandoned factory provided in his favour. He could see Barbara Lee tied to the chair. Eccho behind her, using a knife to play with the girl’s ginger hair. There was also a couple of goons next to the Joker.

“Ohhhhh so he isn’t gone. See, I told you so.” The Joker shot the goon closer to him, Eccho let out a squeal of delight. “That’s for doubting me.”

“Stop that, Jeremiah.”

“You are so bossy, Bats. Too bossy. And us anarchists don’t like to receive orders, do we young lady?”

He pulled Barbara’s duck-tape from her mouth. She spat on his face. Hell broke loose.

Jeremiah’s freakish eyes filled with anger and he pointed the gun to her, Batman threw a batarang at his hand making him let the gun fall and, then Bruce jumped forward, using his body and cape as shield to protect Barbara when the rain of bullets followed. He cut the girl off the chair, hoisted her against his body and ran, trying to take her off the danger, relief feeling his chest when he heard the police arriving.

When he judged the distance enough he let her go, her shirt was covered with blood.

“Where are you hurt?” He asked.

“It’s not me. It’s you.” It was the first time she really looked terrified.

Bruce swallowed a curse, Selina’s bad habits rubbing off on him.

“Run to your father. Don’t stop, don’t look behind.”

“But you are hurt!”

“I can take care of myself.”

And he used a grappling gun to jump back into the battle, but not much of it was left. The other goon was also dead and Eccho was nursing a wounded leg, her maniac laughter making his ears ring.

“Where is he?” He asked. She just kept laughing, useless.

Jeremiah, wasn’t gone. He knew he wasn’t, not yet. And for a moment of terror Bruce imagined that the shouts filling the empty halls of the factory could mean that the Joker had followed Barbara, but when he heard the buzzing of something heavy coming is his direction he knew the Joker was targeting him. The Batman ducked avoiding the iron pipe and tried to land a hit on the clown, but he jumped behind, almost falling from the scaffolding.

“Easy Batsy, that was dangerous! We don’t want me to fall like I heard happened to your little birdie boy.”

The Batman punched the Joker away from the edge, he hit the wall, a fillet of blood sliding from his broken nose as he cackled.

“Boo hoo. Batdad doesn’t like when big baddies like the Joker harm little children. He does have a heart. I’m touched! Have you found out yet who had the pleasure to break his little wing?”

“Why are you asking me that? Do you have something to do with what happened?” Bruce’s investigations found nothing to link Dick’s and Helena’s infortune with the Joker nor any other Rogues, it had all been a case of bad place, bad time.

“Meeee? Aww poor me. I wouldn’t fail like that” the malice in his voice as he said those last words made Bruce’ blood boil and he was about to show Jeremiah exactly why he shouldn’t get any close to his son when the smoke bomb hit. “But my turn will come.” And his laugh was all that remained when he disappeared.

Bruce sat on the medbay’s cot. If he hadn’t been aware of his wound before, now it was impossible to ignore. He slowly peeled off his armour, and used the bright surgical lamp to exam the damage. A week away from the job had the expected result. He had been slow, careless, sloppy even. The wound wasn’t be worst he ever had, the bullet just grazing his right ribs, but it could have been Barbara, and she wasn’t wearing Kevlar.

“Dad?”

He felt his whole body tense again increasing the pain.

“What are you doing down here, Helena?” He asked in a harsh voice. “Haven’t you learnt nothing?”

She never looked so scared of him before, granted, it was the first time he ever talked to her like that. Bruce guiltily watched as his daughter sucked her breath and held her tears proudly as she walked towards him. Bruce frowned, confused.

“You are hurt.”

“I’m fine.” He said in a more calm tone.

“You’re not.” She said in a tone at the same time was broken and defiant. “None of us are.”

“Helena…” He sighed, he felt so tired. He haven’t felt like that in years. Not since he came back. It felt like he had been living someone else’s life all this time, but now reality came back and he had dragged the people that he loved the most together with him.

“I know it’s all my fault.” She said hugging herself, too young for so much sorrow “I know you are angry at me. But let me fix things, dad. Let me help you.”

“Oh princess…” He breathed, raising his good arm in her direction, “come here.”

She gently hugged him trying to avoid his wound. He patted her hair, she smelled like her mother, like his room, like home. He wanted to hold the sensation in his memory. Relieved that he didn’t have to go through the hell Gordon faced that night.

“Let me help.” She begged again, her face pressed against his shoulder.

“Okay.”

“Okay?” Her big golden-green eyes looking at him with surprise, relief, adoration.

“Yeah.” She smiled brightly like she haven’t the whole week, and it Bruce could swear the physical pain decreased. He gave her instructions to get medical gear to mend him. Usually that would’ve been Selina’s or Alfred’s job, but with his wife bedridden and his butler spending the nights with Dick at the hospital, tonight he would have to make do with his thirteen years old daughter.

“Did you save Babs?” She asked after seeming to get the hang of the task.

“She’s fine. She’s with her family.”

“Thank goodness. I was so afraid.”

“It’s all right now. What about your mother?”

“She’s still sad. You know how she hates staying put. But she’s behaving better than I thought. She’s worried about us and the baby. I didn’t tell her about Babs. And if she found strange that auntie Barbara didn’t come today she didn’t say. Holly called. I think she is coming home.”

“Good. That’s good.” He said as she gave the final stitches.

“See, everything will be alright as long as we have each other.” She covered the stitches with a dressing pad, kissed the tips of her fingers and touched the sterile material without pressing it. “Do I have to do anything else?”

“No, princess, it’s fine. You did a good job. Thank you.”

“But you’re still in pain. Shouldn’t you take some pills?”

Not for such a minor wound, he wouldn’t. Drugs get less efficient if you used them too much and he knew a bullet scrape wouldn’t be the worse he would face in his line of work

“I’m fine. Let’s put you to bed now.”

“Daddy, I’m old enough to put myself in bed.” She giggled.

“And yet you are here up and about way past your bedtime.”

“If I wasn’t you wouldn’t have such a nice nurse to take care of you.” She was fully back, he felt relief spread through his veins better than any painkiller.

“I’m the dad, I should be the one taking care of you.”

“You already do, silly, of me, our family, the whole city… Someone has to take care of you too.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise for the dishonest use of the anarchist name. The Joker is not an anarchist no matter what he claims.
> 
> If it feels like I have no idea of what I am doing on the rescue scene, it’s because I don’t 8D I don’t even read thriller books.
> 
> But emotionally charged stuff? That’s my jam, and I think this chapter had a lot of that too.
> 
> Also I decided that Jim not knowing who Bruce is in a Gotham ‘verse makes zero sense, especially if I’ll keep using Lee as Bruce’s doctor and this time around she’s his wife. I’m still pushing that the Rogues don’t know even if also is flimsy, because we don’t want to destroy all the things that make the Batman mythos what it is.
> 
> Thank you so much for the support, and if you want to be extra nice to me since tomorrow is my birthday, I'd appreciate that XDD
> 
> Take care of yourselves. See you soon.


	6. Eileithyia - Part VI

“So, how long will you keep me prisoner?”

Leslie smiled at Selina dramatic phrase in such a performative nonchalant tone, but didn’t raise her eyes from the blood pressure monitor.

“You are nobody's prisoner, Selina.”

“Pff.”

“And as I’ve told you, it only be safe after the birth. You are in your 28th week, we are almost there, only more eight to go.”

“Eight weeks! That’s forever!”

“Don’t be so dramatic. It will pass fast. And tomorrow I’m sending Dick home, he’ll make you company while he does _his_ rest. And Alfred will watch over the both of you, and will tell me if you break the rules, won’t you, Alfred?”

“I most certainly will, Doctor Thompkins.”

Selina stretched her tongue to the butler.

“You know, if someone said to me twenty years ago that you and Bruce would be married I’d have believed them,” Selina snorted but looked really pleased to hear that “but the children? That amaze me to this day.”

“And you know what’s worse? I don’t think this will be our last one.”

Leslie exchanged an amused look with Alfred.

“Goodness, Mrs. Wayne!” Said Alfred in affected shock.

“I’m not even sorry, Alfred. I love the chaos they bring, and I know you do too, despite your constant oldman complains. It helps Bruce, he is a good dad, and the kids they don’t let him get too mopey. But children grow so fast. And how come none of them take after me? I keep raising kids that turn out to be small Bruces.”

Leslie chuckled.

“What do you mean by that? Helena is the spitting image of you.”

“She might look like me, but she was never mine, not even before. I can only see Bruce all over her. She’s too nice, too sweet, I was never like that. And Dick,” she sighed “the tragedy, he used to be normal, the poor thing, but every passing day he becomes more and more like Bruce, every fight they have I feel like I’m having to deal again with the jerk that got me pregnant as a teenager.”

Leslie shook with laughter.

“I am sure it was a joined effort.” Deadpanned Alfred.

“Don’t you lips ever get chapped from kissing kiss ass, Jeeves?”

Alfred looked extremely offended, but knowing the both of them, he was really not. And also knowing that they could go on and on, Leslie interrupted him before he could retort. 

“You still have Holly, she didn’t spend much time with Bruce.” She tried still amused, but happy that Selina was in such a good mood even after a week of bed rest, Lee had no doubt that her patient was giving everyone hell, especially poor Alfred.

“Holly is a traitor, leaving me here alone with these rich snobs.”

Alfred cleaned his throat while Leslie giggled softly.

“Your family, madam.”

“Exactly, _them_.”

“So, we’ll be doing this again soon? Maybe next year?”

Selina gave her a horrified look.

“Hell no, I’m done with the whole pregnancy deal, you are tying me up after I give birth _and_ tying up _Bruce_ for good measure. But we’ve been planning to visit the orphanage after this one gets a little older, she’ll need a playmate that won’t be an angsty teenager.”

“It sounds like a good plan.”

“What about you and the G man? You guys never thought of doing that? Giving Babs a sibling?”

“We did…” Lee sighed. “For a while… But we get so busy with work. Most of the time I’m just relieved that Babs has three of us, because I think it’s barely enough,” her voice failed a bit, Selina narrowed her eyes “and adding one more child wouldn’t be fair to them.”

“I get you. But Bruce and I only take the night job seriously. To this day I have no idea why he even bother to go the Foundation. We all know it’s Lucius who does the whole job. I kinda used to give a damn before getting married, but now it’s hard even if I really wanted too… I do miss my work sometimes, but I have a lot people involved with the gallery and the sanctuary to make things happen. Mostly I busy myself by being an annoying helicopter mom.”

“Your kids are lucky to have you both as parents.”

“They could do with worse.” But Selina’s smile was genuine.

“Well, I’m done here. You can walk for a couple minutes a day, but do not exaggerate. Alfred said he’s wheeling you to the den get sunlight, that’s amazing, keep doing that. I still need you to keep to your diet and the prescription I gave you. And watch your blood pressure, that’s the most important. I want constant reports.”

“Right-o, Doctor Thompkins.” Agreed Alfred.

“I’m leaving now.”

“Thank you, Lee. Say hi to Gordon to me.”

“It’s no trouble, Selina. I’ll see you soon.”

Alfred was helping Lee to his car when he asked.

“How is the young miss, Doc?”

“She’s doing alright, better than I thought. Bruce said she spat on that monster’s face Alfred, can you believe that?”

“I do. Miss Barbara Lee has some nerve.”

“Yeah, sometimes a bit too much. We are all terribly proud of her, but it was so scary. Selina still haven’t heard of it, I suppose?”

“We thought it was better for her to not know, at least for now.”

“You did well. She’s looking good, you have been doing an amazing job.”

“I try. Although I am hardly recognised.”

Leslie chuckled.

“I hope you and Selina never change.”

They put him in yet another foster home. In Jason’s short eighth years old of life that was the fourth one. From the last one he had run away. The couple of monsters who took him in were two suburban white supremacists that used him as a prop to show every shitty hypocrite in their trashy neighbour how much charitable, good Christians they were. Meanwhile they sickened Jason with their constant bigotry, but expected him to be always grateful, and they knew how to beat a foul mouthed kid in a way that people would never find out. He didn’t last a longer than a couple of months. But it was always hard to give up hot meals and a dry bed. Two tutors returned him to the system. They couldn’t stand Jason’s attitude and this last one had been the worst of Jason’s foster homes. And the social worker put him there exactly for that reason. She said that she was taking him to the right place for boys like him. That that place would fix him.

It was a farm. He didn’t even know that there were farms in Gotham. And to be honest it tickled his curiosity. He had lived in the city since birth. The most of nature he had seen was the Harlow Park, and that wasn’t even the nicest park in Gotham. The part of him that was somehow still a silly eight year old boy was actually excited about meeting a real life horse. But the idea died fast. There were at least five other foster children in the farm, all boys. They looked so skinny, ravenous, skinnier than Jason who have been eaten from trashcans for most part of his life, their eyes deep in their sockets. A man received them. One look at him and Jason knew. The smell of cheap booze not completely masked by the sprig of mint he was chewing menacingly. Jason didn’t even risk to stay a whole night. The kids on the streets warned him about places like that, and men like that. He also knew very well that none of those boys would help him. They were too broken. When the first rays of morning appeared in the sky he was far gone. He managed to hitchhike a bus after walking for what felt forever. Soon he’d be back to the city.

Bruce was so tired. The letters on the batcomputer screen muddling together but he insisted in trying to read. He remembered coffee he had prepared to himself earlier, but when he tried to take a sip, he spat the revolting thing back to the mug, cold. His back was aching and he was feeling old. He thought about the cot he had fixed to himself, but all the last attempts of sleeping in there had been pure torment. He felt so tired, so tired, and yet his eyes refused to close, his brain refused to slow down, and there wasn’t a position capable of making him comfortable to fall asleep. He missed Selina desperately. The presence of her body by his side, her warmth, her smell, he even missed waking up with a handful of her hair in his mouth and how sometimes she would kick him really hard while in deep sleep.

But he couldn’t go back to their room, he couldn’t be selfish. She and their baby were safer away from him. She needed piece to be safe and he couldn’t give her that.

Instead, he had been focusing on work, spending as much as he could in the cave, trying to make up for the week he lost in his pit of self-loathing and doubt. All the crime he allowed to happen in his absence. All the lives ruined because the thought his somehow worth more.

A housewife had been killed by her drunk husband in Haysville. A shipment carrying an absurd amount of cocaine disappeared after docking in his city’s bay, the total amount of new drugs being sold all around Gotham was still unknown. The police found a child porn ring lead by a popular elected politician. And was only a little of everything he missed.

“Daddy?”

“Helena? You shouldn’t be here.”

“Neither should you.”

She walked towards him, and squinted to the screen. Before sitting on his knee. He was somewhat grateful she had Selina’s petite build but she was growing fast, and soon she would be too big to fit in his lap like that.

“What are you doing?”

“Some reading.”

“You work too much. Don’t you get tired?”

“I’m fine, princess.” He pushed her hair behind her ear. “What are you doing up so late?”

“Some school work, then I started to read a book. I finished it, but still no sleep. I came downstairs for some tea.”

“Yeah? And what kind of tea would you find at the cave?”

She giggled.

“Busted.” He smiled at her one of his little smiles. “I came to see my suit.”

“Helena…”

“I know… I know… I was just thinking. You are getting hurt more often. Even mom noticed. And I can’t help to wonder, since Dick is still getting better, if you needed any help.”

“Helena, no. We’ve talked about it.”

“Yeah. And I get it, I do. Especially after what happened. But I learned my lesson, and maybe with training I could do good too.”

“You already do good.”

“I know you think that. But I feel useless and not worthy of our family when you all risk your lives to make the world better and I just stay at home doing nothing.”

“Honey, you are not useless, and you are worthy. You always were and you’ll always will be.”

“Thank you, daddy. I just wish I could feel that way.”

Bruce sighed.

“Fine.”

“What?”

“I’m not promising anything. The suit is still off limits. But if you really want it, and if you work hard, harder than ever before, I will train you. And you can help me, from the cave. You are not allowed in the field.”

“Really?!” She said with glee. “Thank, you! Thank, you, daddy! I love you so much!” She threw her hands around his neck and covered his face with kisses, Bruce had serious trouble to keep a straight face.

“I don’t have to say that you mother must know nothing of this.”

“Of course! When do we start?”

Bruce looked at the clock, it was almost two a.m.

“In three hours. Go get some sleep.”

“Only if you promise to go to bed too.”

“Helena, I’m your father.”

“I know. My point still stands.”

Bruce sighed.

“Deal.”

Bruce’s sour humour got better with Dick at home even if the boy was refusing to talk to him. Sometimes he would stand at the den’s door, disguising his presence and just listening to his family laugh and talk to each other. The sensation of pure bliss would spread though his veins like a drug. But he would not approach them. Since he stopped sharing a bed with Selina, she had become cold towards him and he couldn’t stand Dick’s enraged and hurt look even if they didn’t fight anymore. Sometimes he missed the fights. It was something. That void was much worse, Bruce felt the nothingness was eating the tight bond they shared since that night at the circus, and he didn’t know that to do. He didn’t know how to fix it.

But the time with Helena helped so much. His daughter was in no way as a talented gymnast as Dick, and she liked to manipulate him with stories and conversation to take longer breaks, but when she worked, she worked hard. It was especially rewarding to see her work with target practice. To see she miss a target was the hardest thing. Soon they’d move to moving targets and he was honestly excited to see how she’d perform. There was something else that amazed him, Helena had fun. Dick, the bubbly happy boy he was, treated his training seriously. He was as much of neurotic perfectionist as Bruce and would have angry outbursts of anger after a drill done wrong. Helena would laugh. She would double herself in giggles after missing a target by far or after falling down from a bad somersault. Bruce even thought she wasn’t taking it seriously, but after unwinding herself with her giggling, she would stand up, try again and jump up and down in celebration if she got it right. And most of the time she did.

He never before thought that the Batcave would be a place full of laughter. But things change. 

He wanted to thank Selina for that. For giving him that chance. He had and kept hurting that woman, and she gave and still was giving him so much. He sat by her side one morning after his work with Helena, he was fresh from the shower and Selina frowned and blinked her eyes open when a drop of water fell in her cheek.

“Bruce?”

“Hey, Cat.”

“What are you doing here?”

He wanted to wince, but he gave her a tight smile and lowered a hand to cup her face.

“I love you. I hope you know that.”

She frowned.

“Is something wrong?”

He sighed.

“I’ve married such a wary woman…” And he dip down kissing her “nothing happened. I just love you” he said against her lips, still caressing her cheek with his thumb.

Selina still had her brows furred in suspicion, but she grabbed him by the roots of his hair and kissed him hard. Bruce had to stop himself from crashing into her by holding the bedframe, the custom-made bedframe she designed herself with all the bars to tie him up and for her to her use as leverage to ride him. She kissed him with the hunger of a woman starving for too long. Parting his lips and sliding her hot moist tongue inside, making Bruce moan as he let himself be dominated by her presence. Not even in the old days with the chase and the leather, that was nothing compared to how he wanted her now. And he couldn’t have her.

“Cat, stop, we can’t.” He let go of her, so desperate to put distance between them that he stood up.

Passion was gone, turned into icy anger on Selina’s expressive eyes.

“Then go. Just fucking leave.”

“Selina…”

“What? I’m just a fucking womb now, Bruce. You never touch me anymore. Do you think I didn’t notice that you haven’t been sleeping here? Do you think I’m that stupid?”

He was still trying to calm down, and it didn’t help that their fights had been foreplay for so long in their history that instead of helping him, her anger was making him harder.

“You are frustrated with this situation, I get it.” He said slowly. “But there is no need to be irrational.”

“Fuck you!”

“I’m trying to protect you.”

“Urgh!” She groaned rolling her eyes. “Never heard that one before.”

He walked back and forth to try to release some energy.

“Selina, seriously. What do you want, really? Because I don’t think after weeks of staying put and playing by the rules you’d be really willing to throw everything away for sex.”

A glimpse of guilt crossed her face, and she looked away from him.

“You are never here. I feel… I feel like before and I hate it.”

“Before?”

“When you were gone.”

The words and the raw hurt in her face hit him like a punch.

“Oh Cat…” He choked when he saw the tears drop from her face. “I’m sorry.” He crawled to bed again, reaching for her but so afraid that she was too hurt and would avoid him, afraid that his touch would hurt her further. “I’m so sorry.”

But when Bruce was close enough, Selina dove into his arms, puling him to herself, pressing her face to his chest as she sobbed.

“Stop sleeping somewhere else. You are hurting me far worse by being away.”

“I will,” he kissed the top of her head. “I promise.”

She took some calming breaths and then looked up at him.

“Good.”

He smiled tenderly, took one hand to her face, caressing her with his thumb and feeling his heart expand as she closed her eyes leaning into his touch, purring softly. He loved her so much, so damn much.

“Kiss me.” She asked softly.

“Selina…”

“Please? I’m not pushing for anything further.”

He did.

This time they went slowly, taking their time, trying to make up for what they’ve lost. Bruce kissed her cheek and behind her ear to make her giggle. He found out that her breasts were not tender anymore and that he could touch them now, he spread kisses though her neck, and she played with his hair and bit the tip of his nose making them both laugh. And they talked lying next to each other. Laughing of each other’s intern jokes. Bruce even sang badly to their baby and pretended to be offended when she booed and made fun of him.

When Alfred entered the room with her breakfast Selina put a finger to her lips to ask him to be quiet, Bruce was in deep sleep.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> THE CUTE IS BACK AGAIN.
> 
> For a time.
> 
> Then comes another, longer, more hurtful (angst arc). HAHAHAHA.
> 
> I just love to write those two as a couple. Most people don’t like established relationship, but I LOVE IT. People the unapologetically love each other and forgive each other, and work through their stuff as a couple? That’s my kink.
> 
> Also Bruce is a powerbottom and there is no one that can convince me he isn’t.
> 
> I don't have a chapter 7 ready and my roommate is moving in this week so I think the new update will take longer than usual.
> 
> Thank you always for the support, see ya.


	7. Eileithyia - Part VII

Someone knocked on Dick’s door. That was weird because his family had no such consideration when they wanted to enter his room. Well, Bruce would have, but he was not talking to Bruce and liked to pretend he was sleeping each time he would come. He had called Dick immature, so Dick would show him some immaturity. Alfred would announce himself by the sound of his cane, and Helena would just burst inside in mid conversation even though most of the time Dick had no idea of she was talking about, and Selina was still in her bed, but she rarely came to his room either way and he loved her the most for that.

“Come on in.”

“Hi.”

It was Barbara Lee. Dick felt horribly self-conscious of his bed hair, the stray laundry on his floor and his shirtless torso, it was hard to get dressed with an immobilised arm and even the weight of the fabric hurt after a while.

“H-hey, Babs! I didn’t know you’d come.”

“It wouldn’t be a surprise if you did” she gave him that tiny smile of hers, the one that was cute but also always made him think she was somehow mocking him and he was not smart enough to get the joke. “I heard you… fell.”

He coughed nervously, it made his wound burn.

“Yep, silly me! Always falling!”

She walked towards him, sitting by the foot of his bed.

“Yeah… Now you do that.”

He didn’t comment on her tone or choice of retort.

“I heard about you too, scary stuff. I’m so sorry, Babs.”

“For what? It was not your fault.” She said amused.

He tried to laugh, but he couldn’t.

“Dick?”

His bubbly demeanour disappearing, his face grew somber.

“That shouldn’t have happened to you.”

She frowned.

“Why are making such a big deal of it? Bad things happen, you are talking to me while bandaged like a half-mummy. You should know that.”

“What happened with me is different than being kidnapped by the Joker.” He said almost angrily.

“ _What_ happened to you, Dick? I mean, what really happened?”

He looked away, swallowing hard and said nothing.

“You know” Barbara Lee waited and waited, and then sighed, shaking her head in a mirthless chuckle. “I came here to tell you that I was sorry for bailing on you that day. That a date would be nice…” he turned back to her, shock and hope in his eyes, but Barbara looked defeated. “But now I’m glad I did it.”

“Babs…”

“Dick, you know I like you, but I can’t have a relationship with someone that doesn’t trust me.”

She wanted so much for him to say something, to finally be honest.

“I’m sorry.” He said after a long while.

Barbara Lee breathed in, sobering up.

“Yeah, me too.” She stood up. “I’ll see you later at school.”

And she left. Dick angrily threw one of his pillows against the door.

“Look at my hands! Look at them!”

Bruce pressed his lips together trying to hold the smile threating to scape.

“I can see them.”

Selina’s hands were covered in colourful band-aids, courtesy of Helena, he presumed.

“It isn’t fair, Bruce! I’ve been picking pockets since I was six, I once stole a diamond under a man’s nose and he didn’t notice it, I mean literally under his nose, it was one of those nose piercings. I can disarm the most delicate of the alarms like it’s nothing…”

“Why are you listing your many evil talents?”

“Because it makes no sense that I can do all of that but when I try to make a stupid bat origami I get this garbage” she threw a ball of wrinkled black paper that he caught in mid-air and unwrinkled it a bit trying to understand how the formless thing could have been a bat “and papercuts! They sting!”

“Why are you trying to make origami, again?”

“Because I’m bored. So bored. Bored to the bone. And because I’m trying to make that mobile thing again.”

“Selina… Why don’t we just buy a mobile? You know, we _are_ rich.”

“Meh.”

He walked towards her, and picked one of her band-aid covered hands, kissing it.

“Let’s walk a bit. It’s a beautiful day, we could go to the garden.”

“The garden, yay.” She deadpanned.

“Come on, it’s technically outside.”

“Have I told you that I hate you today?”

Bruce pulled Selina so she would stand, and with his free hand he pushed her messy curls behind her ear before kissing her.

“It will be over soon” he whispered in her ear.

Selina sighed, but slid her hands under his arms, holding him close, rubbing her face lightly against his, the stubble scratching her skin in a very satisfactory way. He felt so good, but was not enough, it was never enough. She always wanted him, it was frustrating to want someone so much all the time like that. It made her feel weak sometimes. But having him felt so good, she couldn’t get clean. Sometimes she felt like a junkie going through a long period of abstinence. She thought that having him back in her bed would make things better, and in some ways it did, weird depressing thoughts have been less frequent now, but in other ways was so much worse, because he was just there and she couldn’t have him. That baby had overstayed her welcome inside her body, it was time to get out. But Lee said thirty eight weeks to be safe, and she’d do them all, even if it was driving her crazy. She wanted her daughter safe.

"Ro- Catgirl, status.”

Helena didn’t comment on the slip, she just checked the screen in front of her another time.

“It’s mostly clean tonight, uncle Jim is handling it. A fight broke in Chinatown, but I by what I gather it was just some drunken men making trouble, they’ve already sent police. You could finish tonight by patrolling the Fashion District and the Docks, the crime rates have been rising there this month. Then you can come home and make me rice pudding.”

“Rice pudding? Haven’t I taught you how to make that already?”

“Yours is better” Bruce heard her typing something as he walked back to the car “mom is doing so much better, she is even looking healthier, yesterday I saw she laughing so hard of a joke Dick told her that she peed herself.”

Bruce smiled.

“You should be more careful with you mother.”

“Of course we are careful, Dick is better too, but he- he’s here. Hi Dick!”

The boy sat on the arm of the huge chair Helena was climbed with her legs crossed exactly how Bruce had told her many times to not do it.

“Hey, what’s up tonight?”

“Nothing really, slow night. I’m talking to dad, he’s saying hi.” He was not.

“Helena, what is that?” He pointed to a blinking point on the map. Helena typed, trying to access the CCTV around the area.

“Dad! Something is happening to the reservoir. I don’t know who is it, the images aren’t good, but I think it’s the Croc.”

“Roger, I’ll head there.”

He turned the comms off.

“So much for my rice pudding… What you doing downstairs, Dickie? I thought you said you were done with Batman.”

He haven’t told her he had been fired, it was better just pretend that he stepped down by his own volition.

“I couldn’t sleep.” Another blinking light got Dick’s attention. It was coming from the City Hall Districts. “Lena! Look up! Who’s that?”

Helena typed franticly and the grainy image showing the reservoir was pushed aside and a new one formed, this time the quality was better and they saw the front of the S.T.A.R. Labs building, there was falling on the floor, unconscientious.

“Dad! There is someone breaking into S.T.A.R. Labs.”

She heard him mutter something, probably a curse, then there was some static, and then he was back again.

“The reservoir is more urgent. Call Gordon.”

Dick took the control of the computer, hacking into the security system of the Labs, new images appeared, now from inside the building, there was a woman with red hair there.

“Gordon won’t stop her, that’s Ivy Pepper.” Said Dick in a tense tone.

“Did you hear that?”

“Yes.” Batman answered in a tight voice. “I can’t deal with that now. Keep me informed.”

“But I can!”

“Helena, no!” Batman rarely showed emotion like that, but he sounded really angry. “We’ve talked bout it.”

“But you need help! You don’t know what might happen if something dangerous fall in her hands.”

“You are _not_ allowed to leave the cave, neither of you. That’s an order. Over.” The line of communication was cut, Helena took off her headset.

Something green and sticky covered the screen before the whole thing went off.

“I have to do something.”

“If it wasn’t for this stupid arm” complained Dick.

“Dick, I’m going there. I have to stop her. She can steal something dangerous or hurt someone. Dad can hurt himself trying to be in two places at the same time too.”

“He will kill the both of us.”

“But I have to. Will you help me?”

“And then your mom will bring us back so she will have her turn killing us and then Alfred will do the same but somehow it will be more painful.”

“Since when you care what adults say?”

Dick grinned.

“I don’t.”

“Helena, be careful! The R-cycle is not a toy.”

“I have to get there today! And you are only jealous that I’m getting to play with it.” Dick sighed at the sound of the growl of the engines she was speeding. Dick gritted his teeth half-jealous, half-worried. As much as he had little say in what Helena was doing, and he preferred to try to help than let her do what she wanted all alone without him watching over, that was not how the rest of his family would see the situation if something bad happened to Helena. And the chances of something bad happening were usually high without a thirteen years old wearing cat ears driving a motorcycle at night.

But to his surprise and relief she arrived to the City Hall District without any incidents, granted, Dick guided her through the shortest and faster path, and his heart only threated to stop beating once when she jumped through the moving drawbridge, but her laughs of joy were so contagious that he had to admit he was having fun. And it was nice to see Helena have a chance to try that kind of freedom too, when he thought of it, they could be a little overprotective of her, and he was no different.

She parked the R-cycle and moved stealthily to the building.

“Are the security systems still online?” She asked.

“Why? Can’t you disable them?” He teased.

“Pff”

“They are off, she disabled them, you can go.”

“Roger. Did you fixed the CCTV? Have anything from inside? This place is huge, I have no idea of how to find her.”

“Sorry boo. I have nothing. What about your mask? Don’t you have heat vision? Maybe that can help.”

“Don’t think it will, there are other people here.”

“Try it anyway. I’ll keep trying to fix the CCTV.”

“Have you heard from dad?” She turned the heat vision on her mask on and looked around. It didn’t have as much people as she thought, the whole nocturnal habits of scientists was not true after all, she was almost losing hope when she noticed a man person falling on the floor and not getting up, and a smaller human shaped form walking over them.

“Nope.”

Helena noticed some weird interaction it was still very difficult to say what was happening just by shapes.

“I think I found her. Third floor.”

“Good luck! Be careful!”

Helena felt adrenalin coursing her body, it was her chance to prove herself and to make it up from the last time. She found the stairs and used her grappling hook to climb to the third floors faster and tried to not lose sight of her prey. There was a red haired woman trying to open a door. Red hair checked, but she did not look like her picture on the Batcomputer’s archives. There was no green in her costume for one, and she was wearing a purple cape… Maybe she was rebranding, Helena didn’t care, all she cared about was justice.

She jumped tackling Ivy who cried bloody murder, they wrestled on the floor and Ivy definitively pulled Helena’s hair proving Dick’s argument from the last time, and at some point they both got tangled on Ivy’s cape until Helena got the upper hand, immobilizing the villainess under her. She was breathing hard as the red-haired trashed under her, until she held her still by her cowl’s years.

“Why are you dressed like Batman? Wasn’t your thing plants?”

“I’m not Ivy Pepper you idiot! I’m trying to stop her!”

“Stop her? Who _are_ you?”

“I’m Batgirl.” She spat. She had the angriest green eyes, and her costume poor constructing.

All Helena could think was why didn’t she thought of that name first. Catgirl was cool, but Batgirl had such a better ringing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was basically the teens being silly, and Babs finally got some lines, but I think will go back the plot next time.
> 
> Guys, this story will be long. Longer than Four Names, siri plays sad Naruto music.
> 
> But yeah, I think around 30 chapters. I’m so sorry.
> 
> Thank everybody for the kudos, comments, views and etc you are all so cool.


	8. Eileithyia – Part VIII

Eileithyia – Part VIII

“Helena? Helena? What is happening?” Asked Dick.

“I think I got the wrong person.”

“You _think_?” Said the girl, because she could see now that there was no way she was much older than Helena herself, she didn’t look impressed.

“What?” Dick’s hysterical voice ringed in her ears and Helena cringed.

“It’s not Ivy Pepper!”

“ _What_?” Dick sounded even more confused.

“Who are you talking to? Get off!” Batgirl tried to push Helena off.

“Where is Ivy Pepper, then?” Asked Dick exasperated.

“I don’t know!” Helena answered the same level of frustration her knees still firmly holding the other girl’s arms down.

“Probably far away thanks to you!” Retorted Batgirl trashing to try to free herself from Helena again with no success.

“Thanks to me? You are the villain!” Helena screamed at the girl’s face.

“I’m not a villain!” She screamed back.

“Why are you dressed like one, then?”

“Why am I dressed like a villain? What are you dressed as then?”

“I’m clearly a hero.” Answered Helena puffing her chest.

“Ohhh such a hero you are! You let the bad guy flee!”

Catgirl.” A chilling voice said stopping the retort Helena had ready before it could even began.

She felt her blood run cold and she winced.

“Hey… Batman…” Greeted Helena in a sheepish tone.

“Get off her.” He ordered.

“But-“

“Now.” Somehow he sounded even colder.

Helena did it and Batgirl got up too, on the half-visible part of her face her anger evident.

“You need to pick you partners better.”

Batgirl received the Batglare™ for that. Helena didn’t envy her.

“As misguided as Catgirl was she is well-trained and overpowered you” Helena stared shocked at her father’s defence of her abilities “but as you both childishly scrabbled Ivy Pepper escaped.”

“Shit…” Muttered Batgirl.

“Nooo!”

“Neither of you should be here. And you both failed. This city is mine and I’ll not have any children meddling in dangerous business.”

“What about Robin?” Asked Batgirl.

“He’s retired.”

“This is bullshit and you are not the boss of me.” And saying that, Batgirl turned around opening the first unlocked door and jumping off the window.

Helena took her hands to her mouth in shock before noticing that Batgirl had used some rudimentary form of a grappling hook, but she was violently brought from her surprised state by her father’s voice.

“You are grounded.”

Helena just sighed and dragged her feet behind her father’s sweeping cape. What a disaster.

The way back home was silent. Helena could feel that Dick was still on the comms, but he also didn’t say a word. Batman had lead Helena to the Batmobile and set the R-cycle to go back on autopilot.

At each moment of silence Helena felt worse. She wanted to say something, to apologise, but she couldn’t force herself too. She wanted to ask about the reservoir too, but she was terrified at the prospect that she could have also ruined that mission.

Dick was awaiting when they entered the cave. Bruce started as soon as they were off the car.

“You are both banned from the cave. I am changing all the codes and if I catch sign that any of you in sneaking inside by other ways I’m asking you mother to tell me how close them and when she asks me why I’ll have to tell her so, do you want that?”

“No…” Said Helena sadly.

“That’s not fair!” Complained Dick.

“Fair? What isn’t fair is that I have to worry about my pregnant wife, this whole city and the two of you making brainless mistakes one after the other.”

“Daddy… We only wanted to help you…”

“Did you think you helped me tonight, Helena?”

“I’m sorry.” Said Helena breaking into tears, for once, it didn’t soften Bruce.

“Out, the both of you. Now.”

“Hey Sel, are you busy?” Asked Dick knocking on Selina’s ajar door.

“Me?” She said in a fake dramatic tone “so busy” Dick grinned. “Shouldn’t you be at school?” She asked suspicious.

“School is for losers.”

Selina snorted.

“Don’t let Bruce hear you saying that.” She patted the bed and he sat next to her. Selina threw the phone to her other side and curled her arm around his waist pulling Dick closer.

“You know what I found out? Bruce dropped off school when he was twelve. What a hypocrite.”

She laughed. It hurt a little when that made her touch his wound, but it was mostly healed now and Leslie had even suspended the use of the upper body brace. And Dick didn’t care as much as he was getting Selina’s snuggles.

“True. But you should really get that education kiddo.”

“Nah.”

“So… That’s you plan now? Stay at home all the time, being a little rebel by… I don’t know. Making really mad faces at Alfred?” Dick didn’t say anything. “You know, Babs go to school.”

“Babs dumped me.”

“Oh… That sucks.” But sounded terribly like she found that development a little amusing.

“Yeah. Can I?” Dick raised his hand in direction of Selina’s belly.

Selina smiled.

“Of course.”

He let his hand fall on her belly, caressing it thought the burgundy fabric of her cotton dress.

“Wow… She’s so big already… I hope she looks like you.”

“Me too, I’m clearly the prettier parent.” They grinned to each other. Then Dick’s smile fell. Selina frowned. “What is wrong?’

“I love you, Sel. I hope you know that.”

Selina’s frown deepened.

“Of course I know, honey.” She pushed his dark curls away from his smiling blue eyes, they were shorter now, Alfred had given he a long waited haircut the day before, Helena had teased him telling that he looked like sheared sheep. “I love you too. Dick, you know you can talk to me, don’t you? I know you and Bruce are mad at each other now, but things will work out.”

Dick sighed, and lift his gaze to meet hers.

“I hope so.” Then he smiled at her, and bended over kissing her on the cheek, “I’ll see you soon.”

On the next morning when Alfred went to wake up Dick when he failed to attend breakfast he found the letter on his unslept bed.

“What was he thinking?! What if Selina have another crisis?” Ranted Bruce passing from a place to another when Alfred handed him the letter.

“Be calm, sir. Or it will be you having a hypertensive crisis.” Warned Alfred in an emotionless voice as he fried the eggs for breakfast.

“Did he say where he went?”

“I believe he said he went to San Francisco.”

“What? _Why?_ That’s on the other side of the country!”

“I think he just wanted to put the most distance possible between him and you” snorted Selina waddling into the kitchen.

“Selina! You shouldn’t be up!” Chastised Bruce.

“Good morning, madam, do you require help?”

“I’m fine, Alfred. Shut up, Bruce. So Dick left, then? Geez” she shoved an entire bun inside her mouth. “I live in a house of drama queens.”

“I’ll fix this, I’ll bring him back.” Said Bruce is his very serious voice.

Selina rolled her eyes at him.

“You are doing none of that. You are letting that boy alone. Jesus, Bruce! You can’t put him in a cage and just expect him to sing on command. That’s not Dick. That’s not how we raised him. Just make sure he will be okay.”

“He can be okay at home” he answered stubbornly.

“Well, he clearly wasn’t” she snapped back.

Bruce bit the insides of his cheeks, breathing in heavily.

“Does Helena knows?” She asked, struggling to sit on a stool, Bruce moved wordlessly to help her, picking her in his arms and settling her on chair at the table instead of the stool. She wanted to be annoyed by his obnoxious display of masculine strength but if Alfred wasn’t there and if she wasn’t 36 weeks pregnant she would have her way with that man, even if constantly annoyed her and mad her children leave with his insufferableness, lord knows she would.

“I don’t think so, madam.”

“She must,” she disagreed eating now a couple of grapes from the fruit bowl. “They are thick as thieves. And now, I want to eat breakfast.”

“I’ll take it to you room.”

“No, oh god no. I’m tired of eating in bed. I’ll eat right here in the kitchen. Bruce, are you having breakfast with me?”

“I’m not hungry.” And he nodded to both of them before leaving.

“See what I said? Drama queens all of them.”

“Are you really not worried, madam?” Asked Alfred putting a plate of egg whites and other disgusting diet stuff in front of Selina with her even disgustingier decaf coffee.

She stared sadly at her plate before picking her fork.

“Worried sick. But Dickie’s a smart cookie. He’ll be fine.”

“I pray you are right.”

She snorted.

“That would be a first.”

Selina, Helena and Alfred got emails and calls, turns out that Dick made friends in San Francisco and one of them was Victor Stone son of Silas Stone from the S.T.A.R. Labs and he build a tower to house the small team of teenager super-hero vigilantes that Dick formed, they were calling themselves the Teen Titans. Bruce was pretending he had nothing to do with how Dick decided to live his life now, but now and then someone would very loudly comment about the news regarding Dick and his posture would change, and he even looked a little proud every time someone sang the Titans’ praises. Selina also noticed that they were now subscribing to San Francisco papers. Although she tried to not know where most of Wayne money went, she knew that a huge chunk of it went to the S.T.A.R. Labs. And that there was no way Dick was supporting his masked vigilant lifestyle by flipping burgers, and the boy was too much of a goody two pixie booties to resort to her way to get what she needed.

Batman became overworked again, even though after a while Bruce stopped punishing Helena with a cold shoulder the ban from the cave stuck to her hindrance. And not having Dick by her side anymore, there wasn’t much Helena could do. Alfred took her functions supporting Batman, but he couldn’t go in the field. Batgirl kept appearing to Bruce’s huge annoyance, but he had to admit to himself that she was an asset a couple of times. Although clearly not trained enough, she had good athletic abilities and seemed to be a very bright girl making her own gear. The attitude was terrible unfortunately.

Bruce was having a particular shitty night in which he didn’t went through any particularly difficult job, but Nygma and Cobblepot were having one of their domestics again and coming up with very annoying plans to own up to each other and Bruce was Tired, capital “t”. By the time they were sent to Arkham to discuss their marital problems with an actual professional, Batman was covered in smelly goo heading to his car as the sun rose in the horizon. He almost didn’t notice that there was something wrong when the fact that the car was missing a couple of tires punched him on the face.

Before he could stop himself, the laugh bubbled from his insides but the fit of hysterics didn’t last for he heard a squirm behind him.

It was a boy. He had huge scared and angry greenish blue eyes and a mess of dirty curls, his whole body was dirty, specially his once red hood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So… Dickie is gone. He will come back a few times, but he’ll not appear as often in this story. I’m sad to see him go because I love him so. You might notice that I went with the New Teen Titans canon ignoring the Fab Four version because in this universe we don’t have a Justice League and to be honest I don’t even have plans to introduce them. I might write something extra in the future if I get a good prompt, you can always send me your ideas.
> 
> Take care!


	9. Eileithyia – Part IX

Eileithyia – Part IX

“Shit!”

The boy let go of the tire iron and tried to run away, Bruce grabbed him by the hood. He fell on his butt, the fabric of the garment covering his face and trapping him, he started trashing, trying to get away to no avail.

“Let go!”

“Only if you promise to not run, I’ll not hurt you.”

“Fine!”

Bruce let go and, of course, the boy bolted, first blindly and Bruce thought he would ending up hurting himself, but soon the boy had his clothes fixed and off he went. Bruce sighed and followed him. It wasn’t hard to find him again, he was not good covering his tracks and even thought Crime Alley by that time of the night was far from being a silent place, he was very noisy and not stealthy at all. Bruce found the boy sitting on a cot made of an old tattered mattress and dirty rags. He thought of Selina, have she lived that way once? Was that her world before she met him? The boy was smoking. You could say that Bruce have seen a lot through his life, but it still shocked him somehow, maybe because he could never imagine his own children doing such a thing.

“How old are you, kid?” He asked.

The boy jumped startled, the cigarette fell on the mattress, Bruce hurried to step on it before it started a fire.

“Hey! You can’t just break into other’s people’s places like that!”

Bruce just stared stoically at him and crossed his arms.

“I doubt you are paying rent for the room. This is a condemned building.”

He had never seen so much anger is such a small package, the boy was basically buzzing.

“What do you want?”

“First, I want you to put back my tires where you found them” said Bruce looking over the pile of tires in the corner of the room where his own tire was.

“Do it yourself!” The boy answered defiantly. Bruce was somewhat impressed, and flashes of memories of his wife as a child crossed his mind again.

“What is your name?”

“Why do you care?”

“Because I do.”

The boy clenched his eyes, staring at Bruce with distrust, but after a while he spat:

“It’s Jason.”

“Jason what?”

Jason rolled his eyes.

“Jason Todd, geez. Have anyone told you that you are noisy?”

“Put my tires back now, Jason Todd.” Said Bruce in a detached tone.

“You are really making me do it? Do you know how heavy that thing is?”

“And yet you had no trouble stealing it.”

Jason cursed under his breath the whole way back to the Batmobile. Bruce silently watched as the boy worked. He was around eight or nine; it was hard to say under all that filth. Skinny, probably malnourished, Alfred would have a field day with him. However, the boy was surprisingly strong, Bruce imagined that it had been an asset for him so far, he clearly had been on the streets for a while.

Jason was finishing the second tire when Bruce got a call.

“What is it?”

“Master Bruce, you must come back at this instant, Mrs. Wayne is in labour.”

Bruce felt a jolt of adrenaline and happiness course his body. It was soon followed by fear. It was two weeks earlier than expected, they had a C-section scheduled.

“Is she okay?”

“Yes, sir. I’ve called Dr Thompkins, she said she would be here in no time.”

“No time for the hospital?”

“I’m afraid not, sir.”

“Take her to the cave.”

“Already did that.”

“I’ve seen my share of creepy things, but are you smiling?” Bruce was brought back to reality by Jason’s disgusted face.

Selina would kill him. But what else could he do?

He grabbed the boy before he could run away again and threw him inside the car as he cursed and flapped his arms and legs trying to free himself, Bruce’s heart dropped when he noticed how little Jason weighted.

“Where are you taking me?! That’s kidnapping! You can’t do that!”

Bruce didn’t answer, just kicked the fuel pedal praying that Jason had done a decent job and that any of his tires would escape while he was driving, that was not the night to have a car accident.

"Master Bruce is in his way, madam. Do you need anything?” Said Alfred checking Selina’s blood pressure on the screen, they had wheeled Selina to the cave, since the plan had was for Selina to have a c-section in two weeks, there was no delivery room at the manor ready, it was lucky that the cave had a complete surgery room.

“I need you to invent a time travel machine, go back in time nine months and tell me to use a fucking condom” Selina said between her teeth.

“Mom!” Scolded Helena as she dried her mother’s forehead.

“I don’t think you’d listen to me, madam.”

Selina glared at Alfred and then groaned as a new wave of pain hit her. That shouldn’t be happening. Leslie said that baby would be surgically removed from her body pain free. No one said anything about giving birth again since the day they trapped her on the bed, it supposed to be her silver-lining.

“Have you called Barbara?”

“I wish I could, madam, but we can’t bring her down here.”

“Yes, of course. I forgot. Shit.”

Alfred and Helena exchanged a look, and the girl grabbed he mother’s hand.

“It will be alright mommy, we just have to wait now.”

Selina glared at her daughter.

“ _You_ just have to wait, I have to birth a wholeass baby!” She gritted her teeth again “shit, it hurts!”

They heard an electronic version of Leslie’s voice coming from the batcomputer.

“Thank goodness” muttered Alfred “I’ll bring her in. Miss, take care of your mum.”

Selina gave her daughter a tight smile and kissed the hand she was holding.

“Sorry baby girl. I didn’t mean that, it _will_ be alright, I’ve done this before.”

Helena didn’t relax her frown, she looked so much like Bruce when she made her concerned face, Selina felt her heart swell with fondness.

“You didn’t have a high blood pressure then. And you had auntie Barbara.”

“And now I have you.” She caressed Helena’s face. “I’ll be fine, honey. Don’t you trust me?”

“Of course, mommy.”

They heard the sound of the batmobile entering the cave.

Selina sighed, relaxing a little as she let her body fall against the pillows.

“Your father is here” she breathed like a prayer.

“Listen. You must be silent, very quiet or I will have to restrain you.” Said Bruce as he turned the car off.

“What kind of a sick pervert are you?!”

Bruce’s eyelids fell shut for a moment and he took a deep breath.

“My wife-“

“ _You’re_ married?!”

Bruce tried to not get offended at his shocked tone.

“Yes. My wife is giving birth right now. She can’t be upset. I could have left you on the streets, or dumped you at the police department, but I didn’t. You can repay the favour by being nice and quiet until this is all over and we can talk about your situation.”

“You want me to repay you for kidnapping me? What kind of weird logic is that?”

“I didn’t-“ well, technically he had. Bruce sighed, fuck it. He thought about the tranquilizer he had on one his pockets, but Jason was so small and skinny, he had no idea of how long since had being his last meal, too dangerous. He grabbed the boy again handcuffing his arms behind his back as he cried bloody murder, and then tapped his mouth shut. What a mess.

Then he lead Jason outside the car, the boy stopped fighting and grunting to look around, his eyes moving from anger and fear to wonder as his hungry gaze consumed the insides of the Batcave.

He sat Jason on what used to be Dick’s desk, and unchained Jason only to chain him again but now to the desk.

“I didn’t want to do any of this, but you gave me no choice.”

Jason answered with another string of angry grunting.

“I’ll be back soon.”

“You are here.” Selina said with relief.

Bruce felt his heart grow two sizes when he saw her, her shiny sweat skin, her dishevelled hair, her big clear eyes, the proud arches of her brows. Then his eyes moved to the screen, she was fine, they were fine. He took off the cowl and approached the bed, cupping Selina’s face and kissing her. He could feel her hot breath fanning on his face, her chest moving each time it expanded. So alive.

“Hi, love” he whispered to her, his forehead against hers “I’m here.”

Selina covered his hands with hers.

“Good, I thought I’d have to get you myself.”

“I don’t doubt you could.” Selina kissed him again, but had to cut the kiss in the middle when another wave of pain took her. “Are you okay?” He asked nervously.

“Yes” she grunted “Lee is coming with my drugs.”

Then he turned to Helena that was watching them with a fond smile. “Hey princess, thank you for taking care of your mom.”

“Hi daddy, you are just in time.”

“I heard a weird noise, before you entered” said Selina “what was it?”

Bruce used all this training to school his expression into an innocent one.

“Noise? I have no idea.”

Of course, his training was nothing to his wife.

“Bruce…” Selina took a deep breath. “You know what? I don’t care. At least not until this ends, I’m giving myself the right to not care.”

“Where is Alfred?”

“He went to get auntie Lee.”

As if they were summoned Alfred and Lee appeared.

“Bruce,” Leslie said, her eyes shinning with appalled disbelief. “I can’t believe you entered the room straight from the streets like that. Go away!”

Bruce winced.

“Oh, I didn’t think, I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine, clean up fast and you can come back.” The Doctor then turned to her patient. “So, how are you? How far apart are the contractions?”

“I think around 7 or 5 minutes apart.”

“Not there yet, then.”

“Are we letting it get there?” Asked Selina.

“That depends on you. A natural birth might be safer since the baby is pre-term.”

“What about for mom? Isn’t the c-section safer?” Asked Helena, her big hazel eyes wide in fear and she held Selina’s hand for dear life.

“Not necessarily, your mother gave birth before, it usually helps things to go smoother and faster. And a c-section can put more stress on the body. But whichever option Selina takes, I’m here, Helena.”

Helena answered with a tight smile then turned back to her mother, kissing her sweaty forehead and then resting her own against her mother’s.

“Damn…” Breathed Selina.

“What is it?” Asked Bruce worried.

“My water broke.” She said with an expression that was half happiness, half fear.

“It’s your decision, Selina. But you need to make one fast.”

Selina chased Bruce’s gaze and it seemed that they were having a whole entire private conversation before she breathed in hard, holding her chin up.

“Let’s do it.” The she deflated a bit “do I at least get the drugs?”

Lee snorted.

“Yes.”

Selina just grinned and then cursed loudly as another contraction hit.

After the second hour of watching her mother grunt in pain, curse, complain and squabble with the Doctor, her dad and Alfred, it was still not the time to push and Helena had to admit that the whole birth process was more entertaining in movies and that she was a bit bored. She wished Dick were there too. That traitor. Why did he get to leave to San Francisco from all places and find new friends with superpowers while she had to stay and be a nice girl. And Holly wasn’t home yet. All she had were traitors as siblings.

And she didn’t even get to be Catgirl anymore. That Batgirl had been spotted a couple more times since her failed debut and even made to the papers, Helena still had no idea of who she were or what she wanted. She wanted to ask her dad if he had seen her again, but she was afraid he was going to be even madder at her. Helena would never admit to Dick, but it was truth that she had a hard time being on her father’s bad side. She was her daddy’s little girl through and through. But soon she would have a little sister and she hoped that maybe, now, her father more strong protective urges might be placed somewhere else. And Helena totally wasn’t beneath using some cheap psychological manipulation to get what she wanted. She had a whole speech ready about how he had to accept her help now, because what if something happened to him and he was alone? Did he really would risk another daughter growing up without a dad? She had trained in front of the mirror, making her eyes go big and watery just as she hit the right words. She also trained for the awards she would receive for such a stellar performance.

But now all she wanted was to steal a look at her suit, her own baby, that she haven’t seen in so long. And as dirty as using her sister’s birth to disobey her parents, it wasn’t like she would be getting another opportunity any soon. So, she excused herself from the birth room and sneaked into the main chamber of the cave, and what was her surprise when she found a very bored and very dirty boy sitting on Dick’s chair.

“Who are you?”

The boy, who was sitting on the chair bearing a relaxed posture that Alfred would never approve, scrawny legs on the table and all, straightened himself and stood up alarmed, his eyes shooting darts at her as he grunted angrily at her, bringing Helena’s attention to the fact that there was a tape over his mouth.

Despite her mother’s influences Helena was not someone prone to cursing, and yet, that night she found herself saying loudly:

“What the hell?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next is the last from the first arc, it was quite a long one wasn’t it? I’m trying to come in terms with the fact that this story will be at least 30 chapters long… And my chapters keep getting bigger. What is happening??? I’m afraid that if I do a lot of 3k chapters I’ll star expecting that from me everything and I know that’s recipe for disaster, since unrealistic expectations are one of my triggers… Anyway. Thank you for the support, stay safe.


	10. Eileithyia – Part X

Helena had her hand on the tape on the boy’s mouth when she heard a wail coming from the room where her mother was giving birth. She stared at the angry blue eyes of the boy in front of her. She had no doubt that if she pulled that tape he would scream, her mother would listen and all hell would break loose. Helena couldn’t let that happen, she had screwed up in too many occasions lately. She studied the boy, he was smaller than her, probably untrained but you could never know.

“You can’t stay here. I don’t know why dad brought you, I don’t know what have you done, but you can’t stay here.”

The boy tried to say something, trashing and muttering nonsense loudly under the tape.

“Stop it! I can’t take the tape right now. But listen” he seemed even more angry and fought to free himself a little more, but Helena didn’t yield “listen!” He finally stopped. If looks could kill she would be long gone. “I’m not gonna hurt you” he rolled his eyes “I’m not. I’ll take you upstairs, but you need to be quiet. Dad might be against drugging you, but I’m not. If you cause problems and upset my mom I’m putting you to sleep.”

Something flashed in the boy’s eyes, it looked like fear, Helena smiled.

“It’s time to push, Selina.”

“Finally” she breathed. “Bruce…”

“Yes, love.”

“Hold me, my back is killing me.”

Bruce searched for Leslie gaze that nodded to him with a confident expression. He positioned on the bed behind his wife, kissing her sweaty temple and offering his hands for her to hold that she accepted, lacing her fingers through his.

“How do you feel?”

“It’s fine, thank you” she blew through gritted teeth in pain “let’s do it.”

“You are so brave” he whispered in her year.

Selina gave a tense giggle.

“Kinda don’t have a choice now, but I appreciate it.”

“Are you ready, Selina?” asked the doctor.

“I’ll be when Alfred stop pointing the camera to my vagina.”

“But madam, what else should I film?”

“I don’t know! Film Bruce, I don’t care.”

“Alfred” asked Leslie in a tired tone “don’t upset her.”

“I apologise” and he turned the camera to the couple.

“Where is Helena?”

“Selina, we can’t wait more” warned Leslie.

“Fine. Let’s do it.”

Helena was pretty sure he had five cookies inside his mouth at the same time.

“What’s you name?”

She knew Alfred’s cookies were the best, but five??? How wasn’t him choking?

He swallowed hard and took a few thirsty gulps of the mug of milk Helena had poured for him.

“What’s this place?”

“I asked first.”

“I asked second.”

Helena sighed and rolled her eyes.

“It’s my house. So, your name?”

“Why do you care?”

“I don’t, I just need something to call you for heaven’s sake!”

“It’s Jason.”

“Hi Jason, nice to meet you, I’m Helena. See? Not so hard.”

“Helena?”

“Yeah.”

“Like in Helena Wayne?”

“That’s me.”

“And Batman is your dad?”

She grinned.

Jason winced in disgust.

“Batman is Bruce Wayne? Really? You are such a bunch of liars.”

Helena’s smile turned into a half-horrified half-confused expression.

“What?”

“You can’t expect me to buy that bullshit!”

“You saw the cave!”

“I saw some rich guy’s man cave, that proves nothing.”

“Wasn’t he in costume when he brought you?”

“He was wearing a Batman costume when he kidnapped me, yes, that doesn’t prove he’s the Batman. And seriously? Bruce Wayne? Bruce Fucking Wayne?! Isn’t that like a meme?”

“You can’t buy a suit like that on Walmart, you know that, right?” She look up to the clock on the wall. “I don’t have time for this. I have to go back.”

Jason shrugged and shoved a couple more of cookies inside his mouth.

“Don’t break anything. You can watch the TV” Jason perched up disbelieving his luck, she was really leaving him like that? Boy, that rich girl was stupid, only the silverware in that kitchen could feed him for weeks, and he hadn’t even looked the rest of the house. “Oh, and don’t even bother trying to break out. The house is locked up. I’ll see you later, Jason.”

“How are going to call her?” Asked Leslie as she took of her rubber gloves.

Bruce and Selina exchanged a look.

“We don’t know” Bruce said, holding the baby’s hand as she feed from her mother’s breast. “We couldn’t ever agree on anything.”

Leslie snorted.

“That’s sound like you to me.”

Alfred tried to disguise a chuckle with a cough and Selina pretended to be offended although it was very difficult to show more emotions than tiredness and happiness as she held her new baby daughter.

“Hey!”

“But you’ll have to name her eventually.”

“We’ll think of something” said Bruce, he was sitting next to his wife, his arms around her, looking marvelled at the new life they had created. She was…

Selina tilted her head to look up at him.

“Oh B…” She said is an amused tone, but there were a lot of other emotions in her gaze too. “Alfred, film this! He’s crying!”

Bruce didn’t say a thing, he couldn’t, but he felt the tear sliding down his cheek as he caressed the baby’s face with the tip of this finger, she was so small, she suckled her mother’s nipple twice and then let go, breathing softly deep in slumber. One more time the sting of losing Helena’s birth claimed his heart, had she looked like that, then? Would have him felt the turmoil he was feeling now. It was so intense that was almost suffocating, almost too much to be good. He forced his eyes from the baby to her mother, she had an intense expression, like she was waiting for something. Bruce tried a smile, and then his face crumbled in a sob, she tried to say something, but he crashed his lips against hers, pushing his forehead against Selina’s, they stood that way for a while, Alfred and Lee watching awkwardly, until Bruce finally let go. 

“You should rest, Selina” said Leslie breaking the silence in a tentative voice.

“I need to clean up first. Bruce you take the baby. Helena will help me.”

“Of course, mommy” the girl approached her mother with the more innocent of the expressions, like she haven’t just come back.

“God, I feel disgusting” Selina complained as she helped Bruce to hold his baby for the first time.

“Remember to take it easy,” warned Leslie “you are still at risk of post-partum preeclampsia.”

“What? Won’t that ever end!”

“We just have to watch you for two days, don’t be dramatic.”

“And when can I have sex again?”

“Selina!” Said Bruce horrified. “The kids!”

“What? Honey, Helena is aware we fuck.”

“I still like to pretend I don’t, mom…” muttered Helena with a queasy expression.

“Well, it’s up to you, and your body, but it usually take around forty two days. But please, take it easy and pay extra attention for the next two days.”

“Yeah fine. It’s not like I’m gonna jump on Bruce now. We’re gonna get stitched first, mister.”

“Are we?” he arched an eyebrow to her.

“Yes.”

“Don’t you think we kinda have to discuss it first?”

Selina rolled her eyes.

“I’m too tired for this, Lena, kitten, help me to the shower. Bye Lee, thank you again.”

Bruce and Lee watched as Selina was wheeled away by Helena and Alfred.

“She is a lot, isn’t she?”

“Yep” then he looked down to his baby, she was such a reddish wrinkled thing, he didn’t know what would happen if something bad ever happened to her, she was sleep, tired, he presumed, being born must have been exhausting. “I’m so proud of her.”

“You should tell her that. And about the boy chained to the chair…”

Bruce winced.

“Did you see him?”

“Yeah, I did. What the hell, Bruce?!”

“I’ll explain to you later,” he sighed “but make an appointment for him too, please.”

“Alright. And you’d think that childbirth would be enough fuss, but you always have to throw something extra.”

Bruce chuckled.

“You know me.”

Selina was woken up the next morning by a familiar kiss on her forehead.

She blinked her eyes open and the figure of Holly Robinson formed in front of her eyes.

“Holly!”

“Hey Sel. I’m done with school.”

“Oh kitten” Selina threw her arms around her oldest daughter’s neck holding her close firmly “I’m so sorry we couldn’t go to your graduation.”

“It’s fine. I saw the baby, she is so cute, Sel.”

“I know right? Turns out Bruce and I make some real handsome children.”

Holly giggled.

“Are you staying?”

“For a few days, yes, if it’s not trouble.”

“Of course it isn’t! Alfred fixed a room for you, with your stuff from the old apartment. This is your house too.”

“I don’t know, it’s weird.”

“I doesn’t have to be. Don’t you trust me?”

“Always.”

“I need to pee, now. Don’t leave, I’ll just freshen up.”

Holly looked tentatively if Selina needed help getting up the bed, but she looked fine for a woman who just had given birth a few hours ago.

When Selina came back to the bedroom Holly wasn’t alone. Dick was standing up, the baby in his arms.

“Hi” he said sheepishly.

Selina felt a lump in her throat.

“Hi, honey.”

“I came to meet her.”

“I can see that.”

“She’s so beautiful, Sel” he said looking down to the baby, Selina marvelled at the differences in him, such short time made so many, Dick left her house as a rebellious boy, the looked like a man now, his jaw was more pronounced, the way he carried himself with more confidence. “How’s she called?”

“What do you want to call her?”

“Me?”

“Yes.”

Dick looked at the baby for a while, Holly stood up from where she was sitting by the bed and hugged Selina by the waist, she was taller than Selina, had been since she was sixteen, Selina rested her head against Holly’s shoulder.

“Mary” he said.

“Like your mother?”

“Yeah, like my first mom, is it okay?”

“Yeah, honey.” Selina choked. “Mary is okay.”

Selina walked out of Holly’s hold and reached forward to Dick’s face.

“Welcome back, kiddo.”

But Selina’s good mood was thrown in the trash when she joined her family downstairs for breakfast and found a new addition sitting at the table.

“Who the hell are you?”

The boy stood up from the chair, cleaned his greasy hand on his filthy once-had-been-red hoodie before offering her to shake it.

“The name is Jason Todd, ma’am” he said, his mouth filled with eggs “your husband kidnapped me.”

“Jason!”

Selina turned her face to Bruce, ready to scratch his eyes out.

“You did _what_?!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Selina has all her babies with her but at what price? XDDD This was a weird chapter to write. I think I’m hitting sort a block idk. I hate when I don’t enjoy myself writing as I usually do, but maybe my depression is to blame here, I have been sleeping too much.
> 
> But I did have A LOT of fun writing the smutty side-chapter that you guys will get soon.
> 
> Also do you remember having to deal with a sassy 8 years old when you were 13 and sheltered? I do. I’m so sorry for Helena.
> 
> See you on the next chapter with the beginning of the next arc. Eileithyia, inspired by the Greek goddess of childbirth is done.


	11. Charon - Part I

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We start the new arc with a sombre name...

Charon – Part I

_“But in dreams you live. So I try taking,_

_not to let go. You’ll be dead again tomorrow._

_The Erebus I keep you in—still, trying—_

_I make between my slumber and my waking._

_It’s as if you slipped through some rift, a hollow._

**_I was asleep while you were dying_ ** _.”_

_Myth by Natasha Trethewey (fragment)_

“I was going to tell you.” Said Bruce as he closed the door behind him, painfully aware that all his children would be gluing empty glassed on the wall to try to listen to the oncoming fight.

“When?! On Mary’s graduation?!” She put her hands on her hips, bad signal.

“Mary?” He asked surprised.

“Dick picked it.”

He seemed to ponder for a second.

“Can it be Mary Martha?” Bruce tried.

Selina rolled her eyes.

“She is a baby not a fifty two years old secretary, but don’t change subjects!”

Bruce sighed, putting his hands on his pockets and looking at her through his floppy curls.

“You were busy. I couldn’t tell you back then.”

“How long has been him being here? What else you haven’t told me?”

“Nothing, Selina. I promise. Well…

“Well?”

He winced.

“Barbara Lee was kidnapped for a bit but she’s fine.”

“Babs was what?!” She cried in a panicked voice.

Bruce approached her, raising his arms in her direction is a calming posture.

“She’s _fine_ , she wasn’t harmed. Jason just came yesterday. He was stealing the batmobile’s tires, Alfred called and told me you were in labour. I wasn’t thinking straight.”

“So you just kidnaped a random kid like that? What about his parents?”

“He has no parents. Mother OD’ed, father was shot, he was a petty criminal. Jason has no one, Selina. He’s just eight.”

The frustration was still there, but Bruce saw the corners of her eyes relax and he knew it was one of the rare occasions in which he was about to win an argument against his wife.

“What Gordon said?” She tried, Bruce knew it was a desperate attempt of winning the argument, Selina couldn’t care less about what Jim thought.

“I haven’t talked to him. I wanted to know what you think first.”

Se scoffed.

“Yeah, right.”

“I mean it.” He’s hands finally touched her arms, rubbing them up and down. “He also saw the cave, and he knows who we are, so I can’t just let him go… But he doesn’t have to. And you said you wanted to adopt again, remember?”

“But not _now_. I just had a baby. Shit!” She took her hands to her shirt, it was wet, ruined.

Bruce reached for the box of tissues on the desk, handing them to Selina that tried to dry herself to no help, there was milk all over her.

“Does he even _want_ to stay?”

“Uh… That...”

“Seriously, Bruce? Geez, you haven’t changed at all.”

“You could talk to him…”

“And you even want to use _me_ to do your dirty job?”

“Well, you have similar backgrounds… Give him a chance” he entered her personal space, pushing her chin up to meet his eyes “please?”

“You are so lucky you are hot.”

Bruce chuckled and kissed her. Selina purred softly and let the box of tissues fall, she threw her hand around his neck pulling him closer, but instead of pressing his body against hers, Bruce pulled back.

“Now there’s milk covering both of us.”

Selina sighed at Bruce’s stained jumper.

“Mary Martha Wayne, then? The poor kid will bullied so much.”

"So, you’re leaving?” Asked Bruce watching Dick jump on his motorcycle.

“Eager to free yourself from me, old man?”

Bruce frowned, hurt.

“Dick… I never wanted you to leave.”

Dick let out a mirthless laugh.

“Please, it didn’t even take you too long to pick another stray.”

“I didn’t plan to take Jason in.”

“But you didn’t plan to take me in either, did you? Just happened.” He slipped his leather gloves on.

“It changes nothing.”

“That’s the problem, don’t you see? Nothing ever changes. But I did. And if you can’t deal with that, that’s too bad.”

“I know…” Bruce took a deep breath “I’m sorry son. I was too hard on you, and unfair.”

Dick looked dumbstruck.

“What?”

“You were brave when you protected your sister, and I was so terrified at the idea of losing you that I acted too harshly. Please come back home.”

When Dick smiled at Bruce again his whole body language was changed, like he lost a huge weight that he had been carrying for too long.

“A ‘sorry’ and a ‘please’ at the same time? Wow! I don’t even know what to say.”

Bruce gave him a tiny half-smile.

“That you will stay, I hope. The Batman needs Robin.”

For a moment Dick looked tempted, but then he looked away.

“Sorry, B. I can’t. I have a team now, they need me.

“Oh… And the alien girl too?”

“What about Star?”

Bruce rose an eyebrow at his defensive tone. Dick answered with an innocent smile. Bruce shook his head and walked towards Dick, engulfing him in a bear hug.

“The Batman has Catwoman, he can have a Catgirl, though.”

“That’s her mother to decide.”

“Bruce, come on. You know she can do it.”

Bruce let go of Dick.

“Be careful.”

“I always am.”

“Have you said your goodbyes?

“Yep.”

“Don’t be a stranger, come home sometimes, call me when you can.”

“I will. See ya” and Bruce watched heartbroken as Dick disappeared in a puff of dust.

“So… Jason Todd.” Said Selina with her hands on her hips studying the boy as he munched a baguette, every time she looked at that boy he was eating something, but she got it, when food is scarce you take all you can while you can.

“That’s me.” He answered with his mouth full, she made a disgusted face.

“First things first. You are taking a shower. Seriously, kid. You stink.”

“Hey!”

“Those rags you are in, they are going straight to the trash.”

“No way! I like my hoodie!” He hugged himself pulling the disgusting fabric closer.

“Kid, that _was_ a hoodie in its last incarnation. I have seen cat beds cleaner than that.”

“No!”

“Alfred, please help me.”

“Madam, I have been trying to get him out of these rags and into the shower since yesterday.”

Selina sighed. And then coming from nowhere the first balloon filled with a very rancid smelling liquid hit Jason.

“What the fuck?!” The boy cried looking around.

“Language, Master Todd!” Said Alfred hiding behind the sofa trying to find cover.

“Helena! If you hit me with those I will kill you!” Warned Selina without moving a muscle.

Another balloon hit Jason on the foot.

“Don’t worry mommy, I have excellent aim” they heard Helena say from somewhere, her voice full of laughter.

“Holly, are you helping her?” more laughter “of course she is” Selina muttered. “Well, I guess you don’t have choice now, unless you wanna be smelling of” she sniffed “old cat food” Selina’s face went green “I think I’m gonna throw up.”

Helena joined Jason at the kitchen table, he looked another person completely after a good scrubbing, she could see the real colour of his skin now, it was still darker than hers, but he was lighter than Dick, and with the grease of his hair off they could see waves forming around his face. He gave her a nasty look.

“Sorry about before. It has been forever since my last prank, maybe I was a bit too much.”

“That was straight up bullying!”

“I’m really sorry. It wasn’t really my intention to upset you. Dick and I used to prank each other like that all the time.”

“You ruined my hoodie” he insisted, doodling so hard on a piece of paper that he made a hole in it.

“Well, that isn’t fair is it? It was already looking pretty bad.”

“So what? You just throw way things that get to old, or too ugly?”

“Well… yes.”

Jason was huffing in anger now.

“My mother gave me that hoodie!”

“Oh… I didn’t know.”

“You don’t know anything.” And he got up and left Helena alone feeling pretty badly about herself.

“What are you doing in Master Richard’s quarters, Miss Helena?”

“Oh, hey Alfred! Do you know where that old bordeaux sweater of Dick’s is? The Ralph Lauren one.”

“I think it went to donations pile, Miss. Did Master Richard ask for it after all this time? He wasn’t even very fond of it.”

“Really? He told me it was still here. It’s for Jason.”

“I don’t follow, Miss.”

“Ah ha! Found it!” Helena said happily brandishing the child’s brand name sweater. It was nothing like the manufactured old hoodie Jason had, the material was high end, and the red was rich in colour, not fading, there was no stains of rips. “Ew, it smells like mothballs. Do you think Jason will like it?”

“I think it will fit a little loose on him, Miss. That boy is so skinny.”

“He’ll grow.”

“Are you sure this is a good idea?”

“We’ll just know by trying, Alfred.”

On the next morning Jason found the red jumper at the bottom of his bed. There was a short note in flowered paper pined to it. “I’m sorry I ruined the last one. I had no right to do that. It isn’t the same, but this sweater belonged to someone I love, like you loved you mom, I hope you like it. H. Wayne.”

He didn’t say anything to Helena of it, but when Jason came downstairs to joying them he was wearing Dick’s old sweater.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, that was the beginning of the new arc. I think it will be shorter than the last one. The last arc took forever I had no idea that would drag that long. I’ll try to go faster now. And this chapter is coming with a surprise. A smutty side chapter XDD. Y’all know Bruce and Selina get busy a lot in this series but despite the mature label it’s a family fic so I never found fit to put smut here, but an explicit side chapter never killed anyone. I hope you that are age appropriate will enjoy it.
> 
> Fun fact: the hormone that produces breastmilk is prolactin but what makes the milk come out from the glands is another hormone, oxytocin, yes, that oxytocin, the ~~love hormone~~. So, when Selina lactated when Bruce talked about keeping Jason it was a very strong response, she barely knows him, but we all know that when it comes to kids in vulnerable positions Selina is a softie.
> 
> The whole red hoodie plot is a homage to the best BatCat Family Fic ever Familiar Scars by LemonadeGarden


	12. Charon - Part II

“So, how long will you hold me captive?”

“We are not holding you captive, Jason” said Bruce without raising his eyes from the laptop as he typed.

“You sure are, though” his tone wasn’t a serious one, Jason was the kind of child that was always starting debates for the sake of the discussion, the type that was always getting in trouble for being too smart for his own good. Sometimes Bruce felt like he was dealing with thirteen years old Selina again in a way he never felt while talking to Helena.

“You can leave whenever you want, chum.” Too bad for Jason, Bruce had a PhD on dealing with the grown Selina Kyle, well, Selina Wayne that could be much more frustrating than any baby knock off version.

“Yeah, because you wouldn’t hunt me and kill me if I tried.”

Helena who was sitting on the sofa snorted loudly and flipped a page on the book she was reading.

“Dad has a no killing code, moron.”

“Helena” warned Bruce, but he ruined the effect by looked over his laptop to wink at her making Helena giggle.

“I don’t have one” said Selina entering the room, baby in her arms “it’s me you have to worry about, runt.”

Jason shrunk.

Bruce’s lips twitched.

“Be nice, Selina.”

Selina gave Jason a look that said she was a very fat cat and he an especially appetizing mouse. He had made the horrible mistake of underestimating her before, and now he was borderline terrified at her, it didn’t stop him to try to outsmart her, but Selina was always a step ahead.

“Why do you want to leave for, anyway?” asked Helena. “Living on the streets can’t be better than here.”

Jason looked extremely pleased she took his bait.

“You wouldn’t know would you? You rich jerks think you can buy me with food and nice clothes. I’m not a thing!”

“Jason…” started Bruce worried it could become serious.

“No.” Said Selina. “He’s got a point.”

Bruce and Helena exchanged a look, Jason had a flabbergasted expression that was almost comical, Selina was dead serious.

“You _can_ leave, Jason. No one here will try to stop you. You can even try to sell our story for a few bucks, hell even if you were smart enough to know that no one would believe you over the Batman stuff, we haven’t told the press Mary’s name and you could get a few bucks over that. But would you really do that after eaten at our table and knowing us up close? Because you see, Bruce took you in when he didn’t even know you, that’s the kind of man he is. What kind of man are _you_?”

After a weirdly long moment of silence in which Helena kept pretending she was reading her book although her eyes weren’t moving. Selina pushed Bruce’s chair from the desk so she could sit on his lap and the couple cooed at their new baby lost in their little bubble, Jason who was sitting in a very stiff position stood up abruptly kicking the coffee table by mistake.

“Are you okay, chum?” Asked Bruce concerned as Helena muffled her giggles behind her book.

“Did you break a toe, kid?”

“Nah…” but his pained expression betrayed his nonchalance. “I’m fine. I just… I just wanted to know if you had any cool books here.”

Bruce and Selina exchanged a puzzled look and then she smiled, standing up so Bruce could leave the chair.

Bruce guided Jason to one of the tall bookshelves.

“So… What do you like to read?”

Selina pretended to not care about the interaction between her husband and the little boy, but her eyebrows rose and her lips curled when both men and boy started to discuss books with genuine joy. As much as Helena was a reader like her father, they had very different tastes. Helena liked fairy tales and high fantasy, Bruce like boring long Russian classics, detective stories, philosophy, and Jason, unlikely as it was, was very interested in that sort of literature.

“She will not run away, sir.” Said Alfred limping inside the nursery where Bruce was rocking his baby daughter. “It will be a while until she will be able to do so.”

Bruce gave the butler a small lopsided smile.

“I just don’t seem able to leave her too long, Alfred. Selina is annoyed at me. She says I won’t let the baby sleep.”

Alfred raised his eyebrows.

“You should listen to Miss Mary’s mother, sir.”

“Careful. People will say that you are saying that Selina is right about something” Bruce teased.

“If you tell madam, I will deny it… But, in this case, mother knows best.”

Bruce chuckled softly.

“I just…” he sighed. “I need to know she’s breathing alright. She’s so fragile, Alfred.”

“Nonsense” said the old man peering over Bruce’s shoulder with a fond look on his face “Miss Mary is a strong babe. She takes after her mother. You were not like that, I was in constant apprehension for the first months after your parents brought you.”

“You never told me that.”

“It is not an amusing story to me. I could not sleep, I thought you were going to suffocate and die. I would visit your crib many times during the night to make sure you were alive. It was terrifying.”

“Was I sick?”

“No… Not really. But you were such a small babe, so quiet, almost never cried. I feared that you could get in trouble and no one would noticed because you never cried.”

“Hmm” made Bruce looking at his daughter “I guess I feel the same, about Mary.”

“Miss Mary is perfect competent letting her demands clear, she was blessed with powerful lungs.”

“Oh I know that” said Bruce smiling at the obvious pride in Alfred’s voice “but the house is so big, and the monitor might stop working for some reason I just… I need to be sure.”

“JASON! COME BACK HERE NOW!” Helena’s angry voice came from the corridor followed by sounds of running and giggles.

The baby woke up, she pouted, staring confused with her huge blue eyes to the two man looking at her, and then she cried.

Alfred muttered something about some bloody loud children and let the room undoubtedly to give the children a good scold.

Selina was deeply annoyed. Not only was the first day back the field it was also Helena’s debut 3.0. And she was only recently informed that there was a second debut, needlessly to say Selina was not happy. But after a lot of talking, convincing and a little of emotional blackmail she finally had agreed into letting Helena come along. It would not be fixed thing. No school nights, she would not get involved with the rogues, and the costume was a privilege that could be taken at any time for any reason or none. Selina hated being that kind of controlling parent but being a vigilante wasn’t like having a sleepover, and she was terrified something would happen to Helena, especially after the events with Dick and Barbara Lee.

“When will you teach me the bullwhip?” asked Catgirl doing an unnecessary somersault that certainly had been taught by Robin and landing beside Catwoman at the edge of a building.

“Why do you want to learn it? Don’t you have your crossbow?

“The bullwhip is cooler.”

“It’s not supposed to be cool, Helena” Selina felt the pang of nostalgic melancholy as the words left her mouth, she caressed Tabitha Galavan’s initials carved on the handle of her bullwhip.

“No names on the field!” Lectured Catgirl. “And you sound boring… Like dad.”

Even if the mask disguised most of her face, Helena was pleased to see the insulted expression on her mother’s face.

“I’ll show you who’s boring, _Catgirl._ ”

Helena squealed when her mother sprang in her direction.

From another rooftop the Batman watched as his wife and daughter played tag. It wasn’t the kind of behaviour he would really approve and he could almost feel Dick’s eyes judging him for letting them get off like that. His heart sinking when the thought of the boy who had ran away crossed his mind. But Selina and Helena had such a hard few months, it made him breathe easier to see them in such good mood.

“Sir? The computer caught signal of suspicious activity on the narrows.”

“Thank you, Alfred.”

He sighed before shooting his grappling hook at the building closer to the two heroines calling them to get ready for their mission.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We’ve landed on a slice-of-life little island of fluff haven’t we? It won’t last.  
> My first plan was to make Jason and Helena be BFFs from day one but then I thought a little harder and landed on the conclusion that they would be very annoyed at each other in the beginning. Jason is someone who has been through hardship from the beginning of his short life and Helena, we all love her, but she is a sheltered, spoiled, little rich girl. I’ll not make her a villain to his story and Jason is no angel lmao, but they will have to work hard on each other and do a little of growing.
> 
> Aldo DID YOU SEE THE BATMAN’S TRAILER???


	13. Charon - Part III

Charon – Part III

Bruce chuckled and held Selina more firmly when the pile of books she stepped on to kiss him wobbled.

“Those damn books” she complained her voice husky and low as she kissed him down his throat suckling the juncture between his neck and shoulder and then biting him mercilessly.

Bruce hissed and twitched under the fabric of his crotch, that woman knew exactly how the amount of pain he enjoyed.

“I can’t believe I’m letting you treat them like that” he whispered back one hand still firm on her waist and the other pulling the fabric of her shirt from inside her skirt to give him better access to her skin.

Bruce was having an ordinary morning at the library. He usually slept in thanks to his night job, but Mary had cried around eight o’clock and, after comforting her, his sleep was lost, he decided to make a mug of coffee and head to the library to do some work, the regular one. When it was around nine Alfred appeared and teased him from having fallen off the bed and asked if he wanted breakfast. Bruce answered he had already had coffee, Alfred muttered something about a ruined stomach and limped to the kitchen. Bruce called Dick but the boy was busy fighting a monster with his team, something about cement? He should check out later, Dick didn’t want his help or meddling, he was a big boy now. But Bruce would be dammed if he wouldn’t keep a close look on his eldest.

He checked on Mary again, through the camera in her room. He saw Holly playing with her, he wasn’t close to Holly, the young woman was always so skittish and they didn’t have much common interest beside their family. In the beginning Bruce was always painfully aware of their awkwardness around each other and felt like a rejection sometimes, but now it felt comfortable when they would just be in silence beside each other and he was really touched when he got a cheesy batdad mug from her on last year’s father’s day.

When it was almost noon Selina appeared, her hair was pinned behind and she was wearing a pencil skirt and a silk blouse under her leather jacket. Did she have a meeting he didn’t know about? She just demanded him to stand up from his computer chair and pinned him against the bookshelf, stepping on the pile of books Jason had left on the floor the day before when he was deciding what he wanted to read next.

Her demanding kisses sent him on fire in instants, Selina sometimes complained about him making her horny all the time, but it wasn’t much different for him either, he was just better at hiding it. She relaxed her arms and he helped to take off the jacket, he had no idea why she liked that thing so much, as hot as she looked in it, it always got in their way. When she was free her hands went to his hair pulling the roots until it hurt exactly like he liked it. Bruce looked down his eyelashes at her when they stopped for a moment to breathe, her lips plump and bruised were parted, her heaving chest pushing against his hard, she gave him a wicked smile as she cupped him over his pants and Bruce closed his eyes hard, letting out a throaty moan.

“What the fuck?!”

The piles of books wobbled again, this time breaking in half and falling, Bruce hugged Selina by the waist so she wouldn’t fall too.

Selina fixated her feet on the floor and, still in Bruce’s embrace, rotated her body to face Holly.

“What?” She asked annoyed “I’m sure I told you about the birds and the bees a couple years ago.”

“Seriously guys? You have like a million of kids, what if they saw you?”

“They would know that their parents have a healthy sex life” retorted Selina rolling her eyes, but letting go of Bruce and trying to fix her hair blindly.

“No, she’s right” sighed Bruce holding his shirt closed. Selina had pulled his buttons again, Alfred was always complaining about that. “I’m sorry, Holly.” He was deeply embarrassed, but he also wished terribly that he had the chance to ravish Selina on his desk, it was a very old fantasy of his, granted, he had lived it a couple times already, but it never got old and it always made his internal fifteen years old self very pleased.

“He’s not” snorted Selina zipping back her skirt that she didn’t even noticed was already half undone. “But I am…” She checked her wristwatch. “Shit.”

“What is it?”

“I have a meeting.”

“Already?”

She gave him that look of hers that informed him that he had said the wrong thing.

“What do you mean already? I haven’t been at work forever.”

“But-“

And now her hands were in her hips. Bruce wanted to travel back in time and shoot himself before he could open his mouth.

“But what, Bruce?” Selina was completely ready for a fight he didn’t want to have.

Bruce sighed.

“Go. Have a nice day at work, kickass like you always do.”

Selina deflated, dropping the fighting posture, then she coyly pushed a piece of her behind her ear and ended up smiling. Bruce smiled back to her, a small and thing as he leaned into her. Selina stepped on her toes bringing his face to hers and kissed him again. Bruce frowned into the kiss, whishing it would last longer, but soon she was walking away him, leaving just an acid remark that made Holly laugh.

Silence fell, and he threw himself on the chair, his ruined shirt half opened, he’d have to go upstairs to get a new one.

“Hey… Are you okay?”

“Hmm?” He cleaned his throat and rose his chin fixing his posture, noticing by Holly’s concerned face that he had been staring at the empty direction Selina had disappeared for a long time without moving. “Yeah, I’m fine. Thank you for asking, you?”

She snorted.

“I’m not making small talk, Bruce. But you look like a dog kicked out from the mover’s truck.”

Bruce gave her a small timid smile.

“Sorry… It’s just…” He sighed again. “Weird. I know it’s horrible, because she didn’t want to stay in all the time, and she was miserable, but to me… It felt comfortable. Safe, knowing that she was here, home, in one place, that I could get to her at any time, any day, I’m sorry Holly, forget it. God, “he covered his face with his hands “I’m such a controlling jerk.”

“No, I get it. I really do. Selina… She’s a free spirit, a _wildcat_ ” they smiled “and it’s scary loving someone like that sometimes, especially if you already lost everything before. When she took me in, in the beginning, when she would go out. I’d never sleep, I was terrified she would not comeback, that I’d have to take care of myself all alone again. But she always did… come back.”

“She would never do that, she would never leave her children.”

“I don’t see she ever leaving you either” Holly snorted “you know that. Don’t you?”

Bruce smiled.

“Thank you, Holly. I really appreciate it.”

“Watchadoin?”

Jason sighed gave a couple swipes of colour on the paper, Helena was in one of her humours, those in which she got super happy for no reason. Jason was not a melancholic person per se, but every time he saw someone too happy he felt this itch to give them a reason to stop. Like that itch to walk into a sand castle just to see it destroyed or to blow at someone else’s birthday candles just to steal a moment that can never be taken back. That itch. Usually he controlled those urges well, because he learnt the hard way that giving in to them would give him unnecessary problems, but she had to eat that raw kale to loudly and so close to his ear?

“Your voodoo doll.”

She rolled her eyes but didn’t look fazed at all, her smile still untarnished. How come it was possible for her to eat and smile at the same time?

“Geez. I’m just trying to be nice. I didn’t know you could draw like that. It’s really good. Looks like a superhero, but I haven’t seen anyone like that.”

“Cause there isn’t.”

“So you invented him?”

“Didn’t you invent Catgirl?”

Helena felt her body stiffen as understanding fell on her like a bag of bricks.

“Oh… Jason, I don’t think this is a good idea…”

“Why not?” He was so easy to anger sometimes, like Dick when him and their dad was fighting all the time, but Dick as never angry at Helena. Most of people was never angry at Helena. Having Jason antagonise her was so mad her so confused, none of her tricks worked, she felt like he was bomb ready to explode and her bomb disarming training didn’t cover angry little boys.

“First you are just eight… And second… Why would you want to do that? You are safe here now.”

“What my age has to do with anything? Do you think you know more of the streets than me just because you are older? Sweetheart, you wouldn’t last a full hour in the Narrows. And I don’t care about feeling safe, if I know something is that I should never let myself feel safe. There is no warrant that one day you won’t just kick me out, I must as well make myself useful.”

Helena didn’t know what to say to that. It was a lot to unpack, and even thought she was the self-proclaimed most emotionally intelligent person of her household – which, considering her family, wasn’t very impressive – she felt no will to do the labour of trying to understand all the issues Jason brought up.

“You should talk to mom or dad that you feel that way, J.”

“As if they care.”

“They do” he snorted “Jason” Helena said firmly putting a hand on his shoulder “they do.” He didn’t shake her hand off, just stared at her with his huge dark blue eyes, and Helena could have been mistaken, but she thought she might have seen hope.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for not updating a lot lately and for the short chapter, real life has been kicking my ass lately, and as we get to the part of the story where things get serious… I think I need a breather, that’s the reason for the gratuitous batcat make out scene lmao. If you want to help me forget a bit about the freak show I’m living you can comment, leave kudos, bookmark this story or send me sugary prompts to write on tumblr, I’m user padoraimperatrix or twitter @selinascatnip.
> 
> I’ll see you soon.


	14. Charon - Part IV

“She did get domesticated, then.”

“What?”

Barbara laughed. She was drinking something she said it was coffee, but Selina was pretty sure it was at least a bit Irish. Most of the time she tried to ignore this part of Barbara, but sometimes memories of the small period she lived with her parents would flash back, and she would check on Barbara Lee and be relieved that she had Gordon and Leslie too.

“You are looking at your cell phone all the time.”

Selina scoffed, but had to close her eyes so they wouldn’t sneak a peek at the phone in her hand.

“They are fine, Selina.”

Selina sighed, and put the phone on the table facing down.

“Did you feel like that when Babs was born and you had a pregnant depressed teenager at your house and you couldn’t even do crime anymore?”

Barbara chuckled.

“I wasn’t entirely clean, by then, but keep going.”

“Like, I’m happy, I love my children,” she rolled her eyes “it’s pretty obvious how I feel about Bruce, but… I feel I’m betraying myself sometimes...” Selina sighed, looking away, Barbara waited. “I had this vision of myself, of never belonging to anyone or anywhere. Of leaving this place, and having a different kind of life. The other day I woke up, and I noticed that have been out of house in months… And what scared me the most was that I wasn’t upset over it. I didn’t want to run away. I wanted to go downstairs, eat some fancy French bread and see my family. And… I don’t recognize this woman. Who the hell is she? She can’t be me! Do you understand?”

“No… Not really” Selina frowned, Barbara smiled, she took off her oversized shades, her eyes soft “we had opposite upbringings, Selina. And the closest that I can relate to what you are saying isn’t when Babs was born and I was worried for you and wondering if I should put Prozac in your cereal” Selina glared at her “I didn’t.”

“I’d kill you.”

“Pff, you wouldn’t even know. But as I was saying. The closest I can relate was when Jim brought you to our house… And we all know what happened after, because that life wasn’t the one for me no matter how hard I tried to convince myself. This life you thought you would have, not belonging to anyone or anywhere, would it make you as happy as you are now?”

“I don’t know…”

“Do you want to find out? Would you risk the life you have now to do it?”

Selina didn’t know what to answer to that, but in her belly something that felt like fear was brewing. She took a sip of her disgusting decaf and inconspicuously patted her boobs for any sign of wetness, she had have been trouble with leeks in the past. Her phone buzzed.

“Hi kitten. How was your meeting?” His smooth voice had instant calming effect on her.

“Is it Bruce? Tell him his ass looked delicious in that last paparazzi shoot” Barbara cackled.

Selina rolled her eyes but wasn’t able to stop the twitch putting the corners of her mouth, his ass his did look good in those pictures.

“Barbara said ‘hi’.”

“Oh, I heard” he answered, Selina could almost see his red cheeks, and for a second she considered running back home and finishing what they started in the library.

“What is it, B?”

“Hm” he cleaned his throat “our lawyer called, the papers about Jason’s custody arrived” it had been hard to get them since Jason’s birth certificate was lost in the maze of bureaucracy.

“That’s amazing. We should talk to him tonight.”

“Hmm…”

“Bruce, we have to talk to him first.”

“Yeah…” he sighed. “Of course.”

“Are you okay?”

His tone changed, his voice dropping an octave.

“Just missing you a bit, all alone, in this huge house.”

She snorted.

“Don’t you have anything to do?”

“Me? Never. I’m completely useless.”

Selina giggled.

“Oh, I can think some uses for you.”

“I’m right here, Selina” said Barbara amused.

Selina heard Bruce make a noise that sounded comically like a squeak.

“I have to go now, I’ll see you later, love you.”

“I love you too, Cat.”

“So?” Said Barbara with a malicious glint in her eyes. “Still thinking about running away?”

“Shut up, Barbara.”

But she kept laughing.

Jason finally found the copy of Jane Eyre of the Wayne library and had his nose buried in it since morning, happy to finally find out what he lost of the story. To his surprise, the copy wasn’t old as most of the books he found there, but a modern paperback version, almost untouched and had a cover that was too colourful for such a novel. When Jason opened it, in large handwriting he found the name “Dick Grayson” spread across the flyleaf. The golden boy, Robin. The one that barely noticed him when he came to visit baby Mary. The one made Bruce swell with pride when he talked about. The one that the whole house made such a fuss every time he called. Jason never felt invited to the commotion. Sometimes he wondered if they would even notice if he disappeared as they gushed about the other boy.

“Master Jason!”

Jason swallowed startled and looked angrily at the butler, but to Jason’s surprise the urgency is his voice was translated in his wrinkly stern face as worry.

“What?”

“I have been calling your name for a while, have you not heard?”

He didn’t.

“Just say what you want.”

Alfred looked up asking for patience, he flicked his cane slightly a thing that someone who knew him better would register as a sign of annoyance, Jason imagined how being hit by that cane would hurt.

“I want you to stand up from the floor and let me take your measurements for your school uniform. Why were you on the floor? You will ruin your back.”

“That’s what happened to you?” He asked with a bluntness only an eight years old could have.

Alfred straightened his back and clenched his eyes, Jason shirked, fear flashed his face before the old man let out a barky chuckle.

“You know young man; if I had not been by Mistress Selina’s side for the last thirteen years I would think she had another child before Miss Mary.”

“What do you mean?”

“Witty, but also awfully thick. Maybe it should be Master Bruce whom we should be investigating.”

“Are you having a stroke? What are you talking about?”

“Do you even know what a stroke is?” Alfred raised an eyebrow.

“Of course I do!”

“Oh my, do tell. But as you do, jump on the table, you are very short for your age and as gently nodded, my back is not as it used to be.”

“But you said I shouldn’t climb the furniture” said Jason as he climbed on the desk.

“So you do hear what I say?” Asked Alfred resting his cane by the same desk and pulling a measuring tape from his pocket.

“When it’s worth it.”

“All I say is worthy of knowing, you brat.”

Jason scoffed.

“So… You are sending me to school then, where?”

“Gotham! Where else?” The butler asked with a mix of mirth and puzzlement.

The boy sighed.

“You are sending me to Ma Gunn aren’t you?”

“What is wrong with Mrs. Ma Gunn’s school? I’ve heard she makes a wonderful job helping less fortunate boys in the city.”

Jason let out a gloomy laugh.

“Yeah right.”

Alfred became silent for a moment as he finished measuring the boy then; he folded the measuring tape as Jason looked towards the window, the boy’s forehead furrowed, slim shoulders tense.

“You are not going to Ma Guun’s, Master Jason.”

Jason’s head snapped so fast to Alfred that his neck made a noise.

“What?”

“You are not going to a boarding school. There is no reason for it. You are going to the same elementary school Master Dick and Miss Helena went.”

Jason swallowed hard, the confusion was clear in his eyes. Alfred sighed.

“I don’t know what gave you the impression that you situation in this house is transitory. Master Bruce and Mistress Selina, god bless them, might not very good at showing affection, and I take my blame for that. But they are not fickle people. You can trust them. The only way you to get out of this house and this family is with your own two feet.”

Alfred rolled his eyes when he entered the kitchen and found the kettle hissing madly and being categorically ignored by the couple making out against the cupboard.

“Have I not tell you to not do that in the kitchen? Jesus!”

“Sorry, Alfred” apologized Bruce guiltily as he hooked Selina’s bra closed again and hid her with his body as she covered herself.

Selina then hurried up to turn the kettle off and fill the teapot as it looked like it was her original intention all along.

“Another shirt ruined, I see. Two.” Alfred complained, sitting at the table. “Two in one day. I’m only buying you buttonless shirts from now on.”

“Don’t you dare!” Warned Selina but there was more mirth than threat in her voice. She put a mug in front of Alfred and he knew it was exactly how he liked it even before he took the first sip. Selina then sat beside Bruce and across Alfred, nursing her own mug.

“No tea for me?” complained Bruce.

Selina gave him her trademark peeved look.

“You don’t even drink tea” he kissed her wrinkled nose just to see her annoyance turn into a smile, Alfred rolled his eyes.

“Before you love birds forget completely I am here, I need to talk to you both.”

The couple stared at the butler with twin-concerned faces.

“What is wrong, Alfred?” asked Bruce.

“The boy… Master Jason. It appear you were not clear about your intentions concerning his place in this house. He seems to be under the impression he will be kicked out at any time.”

“What?” Exclaimed Selina.

“What did he say to you?”

“I think it is better if you talk to him yourself, sir.”

“We had plans to” said Bruce stealing a sip from Selina’s tea and making a disgusted face right after. “Since the adoption papers arrived. We were discussing that before you came…”

“Oh I could see how deeply you were discussing the child. Good lord, I sometimes miss when you fight. At least when you are in one of your stupid domestics it is less likely to be forced to witness something improper.”

Selina snorted.

“I don’t see how, considering our history of make up sex.”

“Selina!”

Alfred groaned rubbed his eyes.

“I swear I can trace both Helena and Mary to stupid fights. Just saying.”

“I’m leaving.” Said the butler standing up and taking his mug with him.

“See what you did, Selina?”

“What?” She said with a disingenuous look. “Are you accusing me of something, Bruce? Do you want to suffer the consequences of pissing me off?”

Bruce’s throat went dry, Selina’s fingers started climbing through the ruined flaps of his shirt, her eyes glinting dangerously.

“The child!” Alfred exclaimed from the corridor “don’t forget about him! Honestly!”

Selina sighed and stood up.

“I’m going to get him,” said her rinsing her used mug “wanna come with me?”

“Oh… I need to be behind this table a little longer.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In which the Waynes are lame at communicating. What else is new? And I just love writing about Bruce and Selina being annoyingly in love XDD


	15. Charon - Part V

“Did you like the show?”

Jason felt he was inside a weird dream. He had heard kids talking about dope and acid trips but he had never tried himself. It sounded good, but a lot of bad things happened when you let yourself to lose control like that. And now, he was afraid too. To lose himself in the dream. To let himself just accept that was his reality now. Because in his experience, all sense of safety was misleading. But it was hard to make his heart stop hammering inside his chest, his mind was blown by all the colours, the dancing, the songs!

“Jason?” Bruce sounded worried now and they stopped by the corner of the atrium, out of the way of the people leaving the theatre.

He didn’t see the two adults exchanging a look, and then Selina was in his line of vision, crouching somehow balancing herself on her high heels.

“Did one of the cats get your tongue?”

It was so cheesy it brought him to reality, or the dream, he couldn’t tell them apart anymore. Jason snorted.

“That was lame.”

She stood up and fixed his hair, it felt so good to be touched like that, she was so gentle.

“The show wasn’t” she tried again.

“No. It was awesome.”

He did see the relieved look the adults exchanged, and that made him happy, like fireworks in his stomach.

“Yeah?” asked Bruce “which cat was your favourite?”

“The twins! They were funny” they were walking again now “we’re going back now?”

“I don’t know” sighed Bruce lacing his hand with Selina’s, he’d offer the other one to Jason as he’d have done with Helena, but he knew he wouldn’t take it. “We don’t need to. Are you hungry?”

Selina snorted.

“He’s always hungry.”

“Hey!” The boy complained.

“You are no better, kitty cat” and Bruce suffocated her rebuttal with a kiss.

“Ew, seriously?”

“You should be used to us by now, kid” deadpanned Selina.

“I don’t want to.”

They fell in uncomfortable silence until they reached a little bistro and Bruce guided inside. They sat and ordered. Jason was sitting by the window, it was another wet night in Gotham. People hurried to get out of the street. He hated nights like that. He was sitting in a comfy chair in some fancy restaurant with internal heating, wearing a warm jacket with woollen lining, something that when he were back to the streets could feed him for a whole week, and yet, he still felt the cold.

“Jason, what do you mean by not wanting to be used to us?” Asked Selina.

Jason sighed, he played with the napkin on the table avoiding their eyes.

“You know what I mean.”

“We really don’t, chum” said Bruce earnestly. “But Alfred thinks you believe we are going to send you away. Why would you think that?”

“Why would you keep me?”

“You don’t want us to?”

Jason sighed.

“It isn’t that… I just already seen this movie, alright? Kids like me are some charity project for people like you. You will get tired and dump me somewhere in a few months.”

Selina went livid, and Bruce held her fisted hand under the table.

“You know we have two older adopted kids, don’t you?” she asked in a controlled voice.

“Yeah, perfect girl and the golden boy. I’m not like them.”

“Jason, son” began Bruce concerned. “Why do you think that?”

“No, he’s right” stated Selina letting go of her husband’s hand and forcing herself tot relax. “He is nothing like Holly and Dick” hear that was like a punch in Jason’s stomach, he had said that so many times to himself, he thought it would protect him. It didn’t. “He is like me.”

Jason didn’t expect that last sentence, he stared at Selina with his brow frowned in confusion.

“Selina…”

“You know it’s true. Holly saw some ugly shit but she was just a few months on the streets, she never really got used to it, or enjoyed it, and Dick never went through a whole day of his life in which he wasn’t loved and it shows.” She turned back to Jason “you in other hand... You are just like me when I met Bruce. A street _brat_.”

“You?” Getting his bearings, Jason crossed his arms and stared at her unconvinced.

“Yeah, me. My dearest mother let me in an orphanage when I was five. I was never adopted. Went thought some shitty foster parents, fled to the streets, brought back, fled again, learned to fend for myself, became a real talented pickpocket. Really, the best. And when I was thirteen I met Bruce through a con.”

“It wasn’t a con, Selina…”

“Oh please, I just wanted a taste of the billionaire life for a while. I had zero intentions of helping you.”

Bruce sighed.

“You don’t really believe that…”

Selina ignored him and continued talking to Jason.

“I guess you even miss the freedom of not having anyone around to care about you. Don’t have to answer to anyone, and just do whatever you feel like doing. I get it. To be honest when Bruce is brooding, Alfred is complaining, Mary is crying non-stop and you and Helena are driving me crazy, I wish I could just go back to eating from the trash again to not have to deal with it.”

“Selina!” offended.

“Shut up, Bruce. But look, that kind of freedom is not worth the danger, and the solitude, you don’t have to live that way forever.”

“You already belong to our family,” followed Bruce “there is nothing you can do to stop thinking of you as such. But we will not proceed with the adoption process if you don’t want us to. And we’ll find a place more of your liking if you want to leave.”

Jason blinked astounded.

“Adoption? You’re joking?”

“Nope.” Said Selina with a smile. “We’ve got the papers ready. It’s up to you, kid.”

“If this is a joke I’ll slash your tires instead of stealing them this time” and he meant it.

Bruce chuckled at that and they were interrupted by the waiter bringing their food.

“So, what do you say?” asked Selina with a mouth full of cappeletti.

“God, Selina…” began Bruce with laughter in his voice, but in a fond way.

“Later, Bruce” she sent her husband a heated warning look.

Jason pushed his plate away groaning.

“You will still be like that like, all the time won’t you?”

“Your parents should be annoying and embarrassing, kid” said Selina matter-of-factly. “It comes with the package.”

“What else? I mean, I don’t… I don’t know…”

“You don’t trust us.” Said Bruce, Jason looked away. “It’s okay. We will work for it. And you’ll have to work for ours too, but you already know a lot about us, that gives you power that we don’t have.”

“What if I do something that make you really mad?”

“Oh, I bet you will. But guess what, kid? We all make each other really mad all the time. But we’ll remain family no matter what.”

Jason looked from Selina to Bruce searching assurance, he never had that before. The certainty of the unconditional bond of family. And as much as he have told himself over and over again that he didn’t need it. That he could be the one being there for himself. That relying on other was weakness. He also knew he would be able to go that way for much longer. He was so tired. And if those people really meant that offer… Well, he couldn’t really afford to say no.

“Yeah…” He muttered.

“What?” Asked Selina.

“Yes.” Jason said louder, firmer.

“I’m sorry I didn’t hear you” she said again, clearly pretending.

“YES!” He shouted his heart pounding in his chest.

“Whatever he’s having, I want it too” they were interrupted by a known deep voice. Selina and Bruce turned their smiling faces to greet the other family, Jason felt like his balloon popped. They were friends with cops. Worse, the Commissioner himself. Had he just made a mistake?

“Jim” said Bruce pleased welcoming the Gordons as they approached their table “Dr Thompkins, Barbara Lee. What a coincidence.”

Selina reached for Babs that entered her half-hug mindlessly, resting her head on the older woman’s shoulder.

“Yeah, I said there was no way they were making me to eat frozen lasagne to dinner tonight.”

“Barbara” reprehended Jim in a mortified voice.

“She is right, Jim” sighed Lee.

“You know how to solve this,” preached Selina. “Coming to dinner, Jeeves likes having people praising his food. And Helena misses you” she added to Babs that became stiff and untangled herself from the hug.

“Well try to fix our schedules, we’ve working so hard lately that we almost don’t see each other anymore” explained Gordon with a chucking nervously and scratching the horrible moustache he was still insisting in growing.

“Well find a table to ourselves, it was nice to see you all well,” stated Leslie “especially you, Jason.”

The boy jumped alarmed when Leslie addressed him.

“What? You’ll sit with us, of course” said Selina in her typical non-nonsense tone, then she stood up. “Hey, you!”

Not only the waiter, but everyone inside the restaurant looked at them.

“Selina…” complained Bruce embarrassed.

“Shush, I said later” Bruce took a sip of his drink avoiding the other couple’s confused looks, Selina turned to the waiter that was servicing them. “Hi, bring another table, they are joining us.”

“So,” asked Gordon when they were all finally sitting “you seen to be celebrating, what are the good news?”

“Jason here” announced Bruce proudly “accepted to become officially part of our family.”

“Really?” asked Leslie smiling at the boy. “That’s wonderful!”

“Congrats” offered Barbara Lee too.

“You are very lucky, young man” said Gordon solemn.

“Nah” said Selina looking at the boy fondly “we are the lucky ones.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hiii. I'm sorry I haven't been posting as fast as before. I am a woman with three jobs now. Things have been crazy. But I somehow find time to post two chapters of a new fic called “Want”, it will have five chapters one for each season of the show and they are all missing moments focused on Selina. I’d really appreciate if you take a look.
> 
> And yes, Bruce and Selina took Jason to see Cats XD
> 
> I’ll see you soon. Take care!


	16. Charon - Part VI

Mary’s first birthday came in usual Gotham fashion, in a day of heavy rain, but the family made their best to not let the weather damp the mood.

Jason, who after a whole year of regular meals and strict bedtime, grew three full inches – to Alfred’s horror and satisfaction – was hanging the silver balloons while Helena ordered him around, Alfred observed the both of them while he fixed the table. The butler knew his children well enough, and was sure that they would have at least a small squabble before the party was over. _That_ didn’t change much. He also noticed that he could see Jason’s shins under the rim of his trousers. Alfred was always complaining about how Young Master Jason didn’t have anything in his new wardrobe that fit, but you could see the pride in his face each time someone pointed how fast the boy was growing and how healthy he looked.

The birthday girl, in her frilly party dress and messy curly hair that was free of embellishments no matter how hard Barbara had tried to try to make her wear one, was being held by her father and having a whole conversation with him in her nonsensical baby speech.

“Where are you?” asked Selina entering the room, cell phone pressed to her ear and a concerned expression crumpling her face.

A thin sound of static filled the line.

“Se… el? …ina? Can you hear me?”

“Dick? I asked where are you” he was supposed to had come home the day before, he hadn’t being at home since the holidays. Selina thought that since he and Bruce were cool with each other again, she would have her oldest son at home more often. It didn’t happen like that. He was too busy with his new friends and orange girlfriend to visit his sad, poor, dying of sadness mother. And more than often his promises to come home were cancelled after a threat to Jump City. This time he said alien invasion? Why someone would travel all across outer space to mess with a bunch of kids in San Francisco was beyond her.

“Wait” more static an then the quality of the call improved “I’m at the O’Hare. Are you hearing me now?”

“Yet?!”

“Yeah, sorry Sel. I’m trying to get to you, but this shitty rain…”

Bruce gestured to Selina to give him the phone. She sighed.

“Bruce will talk to you now” then she handed the phone to her husband “he’s at the O’Hare.”

“Dick.”

“Hey, B. Sorry, I’m late.”

“Do you want me to go pick you up?”

Bruce heard Dick chuckle.

“I’m not in a sleepover at Babs, Bruce. You can’t leave too. It’s as bad as it is. Man, I’m so sorry. Is Holly there?”

“Yes, she arrived yesterday” Holly had moved out when Mary was seven months old. She got a job in Metropolis. “Barbara is here too, the Gordons are arriving at any moment.”

“Ohh everyone… And I’m stuck here.”

“Not everyone. Lucius had to cancel, Luke’s got the flu.”

“Can’t you ask Superman to go get him, dad?” asked Helena after her mother explained the situation to the rest of the family.

“That’s not what his powers are for, princess” said Bruce.

“Superman is lame anyway.” Said Jason very sure of himself. “Do you think Wonder Woman’s invisible jet can fly through the storm?”

“It’s also not what it is for, Jase.”

“What are they talking about?” asked Dick tired of getting only half of the conversation. He realised that as much as he avoided going to Gotham, wanted to be home, he even missed the smell.

“They want me to contact the JLA to get you” Bruce was basically blackmailed into joining the Justice League of America by his kids. It was useful to have such powerful connections, but trust was something hard to get from the Batman, and it was even harder if the people trying to win him over were all powerful demi-deities and eye laser shooting aliens.

Dick laughed whole-heartily over the phone and Bruce felt the pull of longing inside his chest.

“Do you think he’d hear if I called?”

“Dick…” Bruce warned in his best stern Batdad voice.

“You know… I could call Kory…”

“No metas in Gotham” Dick mouthed as he heard Bruce lecture. That had being their last serious feud. It never got as bad as when he was still living at home, but as much as broke Selina’s heart, he was never going back to live under Bruce’s roof again. He loved the guy, so much. But there was no way in hell.

Dick sighed.

“Well, B. I’ll go back to the reports I brought with me as I wait. Enjoy the party. Give Mary a big kiss for me. I’ll see you guys soon.”

“Take care” and Bruce searched for Selina to give her phone back, but she wasn’t at the room anymore. He turned to Mary that was looking at him with her huge curious blue eyes as she munched his tie. “Where did your mama go?”

Mary spat his tie and Bruce tried to control his amused disgust as drool fell all over his shirt.

“Mama?”

“Yes, where is she?”

He smiled as she looked around. Bruce couldn’t believe how fast time was passing, only the other day she was a small thing that needed her parents and caregivers for everything. Now she was running around causing problems and laughter. It really amazed him that she was tolerating to be held for so long. Since she started walking she was breaking hearts by refusing hugs and smooches in favour of going wherever she damned well pleased. But that’s what he got by choosing Selina to be the mother of his children. Independent, heart-breaking little gremlins.

Even Helena didn’t seen to need him anymore as much these days. She had even convinced Selina to let her go solo in a few occasions during their night activities. And Dick… Bruce had no idea of what he’d do if Helena ever decided to leave like that too. At least he still had Jason, he was the only one getting more attached instead of trying to fly away from the nest these days.

Bruce turned at the sound of laughter and talking to find the remaining Gordons joying the party. They were all covered in drizzle but ha smiles in their faces, and were carrying bags of colourful paper.

“Here is the birthday girl!” greeted Lee going straight for Mary that squealed and reached for her favourite auntie who pulled her to a hug, leaving Bruce’s arms suddenly empty.

“Thank you for coming, Dr Thompkins.”

“Don’t be silly Bruce. Aren’t your daddy silly, baby girl? He is, isn’t he?”

Gordon joined them, and Bruce chatted with him, being careful to not let work talk sneak into the conversation next to Alfred’s hearing. He would not tolerate it. When food and drinks started to be served he got himself a cup of his zero sugar soda and sat a little far from the party, just watching. Holly and her girlfriend Karon were in conversation with Jim. Karon was studying to become a forensic speech and language pathologist. He made a mental note to research about the subject, you never know when it could be useful.

Both of Barbara Lee’s mothers were doting on his youngest daughter. If it was up to them, Mary would be spoiled rotten. Helena, Jason and Barbara Lee were talking about something in their phones and Bruce saw Alfred limping towards them with a tray of party food. Wet days like that made his knee hurt. Bruce could try to make him sit for a while, and eventually he would make a valiant attempt, but what was the use? Not even the Queen was capable to make Alfred to just sit and let other people do the job he still insisted was his.

A pair of warm arms cuddled him from behind and Bruce smiled and used his free hand to lace his and Selina’s fingers together, and then kissed her wrist, taking the time to smell her perfume.

“Why are you brooding here all alone?”

“I’m not. I’m just… One year already, cat? How didn’t I see it pass so fast?”

“Hmmm” she made and then bit lightly behind his ear “they say times go fast when you are happy.”

“Are you?”

She looked at him amused and puzzled.

“The world’s best detective can’t guess?”

“Even the best guess is just that. You never know for sure what goes on in another person’s mind or heart.”

Selina circled around the chair and sat on Bruce’s lap. Her back to his chest, pulling his arms around her. And after Bruce had almost forgotten their talk as they watched their children and guests laugh and interact, she said:

“You are such a moron. Of course I’m happy. I’m so fucking happy sometimes I even forget how long it took to get me here. I can’t remember being miserable. That’s how fucking happy I am.”

He smiled and kissed her hair, holding her slightly closer, feeling nothing could ruin what he was feeling right now. Not the rain, not all the suffering and misery of the world, not even the future. That moment, that perfect golden moment, somehow would last forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The time skip! I think this will be the last slice of life/character centric fluffy chapter in this story. Next time we’ll have plot.


	17. Charon - Part VII

“Catgirl, report.”

“Just a minute-“ Bruce heard sounds of fighting as he waited, of course he trusted his daughter, of course he trusted her abilities, and yet... “Why? Why? Why are you here? We’ve already told you we don’t need your unskilled help!”

These days Batgirl was far from unskilled, someone was training her.

“Catgirl” sighed Batman feeling very old and very tired even thought he was just 32 and had woke up at noon “why are you fighting Batgirl for?”

“What you mean why?” she asked angrily.

“Leave her alone, she’s an ally. I sent her to give you assistance.”

“YOU SENT HER HERE? WHAT THE HELL DAD!”

Bruce muted Helena after she gave him a headache. Saying that she and Batgirl were not friends was an understatement.

“Jaybird, report.”

“Just watching Helena and Batgirl fight each other instead of the bad guy. We should sell this footage online, it would make real money.”

Bruce missed Dick. Dick was bubbly at home and no nonsense at the field. He missed that. Nonsense was everywhere in his life now.

“The _actual_ report.”

“Fine” Jason was annoyed he was not allowed at the field. Selina’s orders. She was the one in charge of his training, and she was bluntly clear when she said she didn’t trust him.

It wasn’t a matter of talent or skills. Helena’s job was to be stealthy and hit them before they saw her, Dick’s was be distracting, but fast enough to not put himself in more danger than the necessary. Jason did not fit those positions. As much as he was fast, he enjoyed the fight too much, mostly because he was good and he knew he was good.

After he accepted to be part of the family, his relationship with Selina fully bloomed. As much as he enjoyed his time with Bruce talking about books, talking Alfred’s ear off, learning how to take care of someone else with Mary – to whom Jason was clearly favourite, her first word being ‘ay’ – and having the opportunity to be a child by being a total brat to Helena. It was Selina who he loved more than anyone in the entire world.

Jason, the skittish child he was, would snuggle with her when they had movie nights, and sometimes Bruce liked to just watch the both of them interacting from afar. Their internal jokes made Helena jealous sometimes, and there was at least three occasions in which Jason lost his voice after laughing too much thanks to Selina’s tickling sessions. And at one point he had even convinced Selina to teach him all her favourite dirty tricks that he mastered to perfection and even came up with his own. He was too confident, and had the habit of teasing his adversaries, that scared Selina so much she made Bruce promise he wouldn’t give Jason a costume.

“Mary’s asleep,” Selina announced entering the Batcave with a mug of tea, it was Jason’s mug, the one Wonder Woman themed. She put it in front of him and absently caressed his hair “what is happening?”

“Thanks,” the boy said taking the mug with gusto, it was chamomile, she always made it super sweet just like he loved it. “Helena is fighting Batgirl. The man just handed the Croc’s ass back to Blackgate.”

Selina frowned.

“Why is she fighting Batgirl?”

“I don’t know, maybe they have the hots for each other and can keep apart.”

“Jason” Selina reprimanded him rolling her eyes.

“What? Isn’t that what you and the Bat are like?”

“You will not slander your sister, young man” lectured Alfred entering the room through the elevator only him had permission to use.

“B,” said Selina pressing the button to talk “there’s report of suspicious activity next to Harlow’s Bridge, can you get there?”

“What about the girls?” Bruce asked.

“Oh, they will wise up in a moment.”

Jason tried to conceal his laugh with a cough, but he had tea in his mouth and made a mess.

“Master Jason!” Scolded Alfred.

“Sorry” he didn’t sound very sincere.

“Go to bed, Jay” said Selina in a tired voice, wishing she could go to bed too.

“Why?!”

“You know why, you have a test tomorrow morning.”

“I didn’t tell you that!”

The nerve. The courage. The complete audacity. Not only he hid things from her in purpose but he also acted he was the one being wronged.

“It doesn’t mean I won’t know anyway. Up. Bed. Now.”

He stood up, raised shoulders, clenched fists, curly hair trembling in anger.

“That’s not fair! Helena gets to go in missions and stay up late!”

“Helena is fourteen, you are nine.”

“So what? Age is just a number, it doesn’t mean anything.”

Selina was trying so hard to not lose her patience but Mary’s back teeth were coming out and she was not happy about it.

“Yeah? I doubt your teacher will think that when she grade your test with a zero when you drool all over it tomorrow.”

Jason took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, Selina would have been proud of him for trying if she wasn’t as tired as she was to notice.

“Come on Sel, you know I can help. You don’t even let me go out” he tried to bargain.

“For good reasons.” She snapped. “We’ve already explained to you.”

Her words extinguished his little kindle of control.

“It’s not a ‘we’ thing, it’s _you_! Do you think I don’t know? _You_ think I’m dangerous, and _you_ don’t trust me. Golden boy was Robin a _month_ after finding out about Bruce!”

So he was listening behind doors because she did not had that conversation in front of him. Selina felt like she was paying for her past sins while dealing to Jason. He was not like her other children. He didn’t care about boundaries, he didn’t fear her bad opinion, and he was always trying to push her to her limit. Barbara said he was trying to test her, but she was done.

“Dick wasn’t a reckless arrogant boy and yet he was shot. Do you think I want to be babysitting you so you do something stupid like provoking the Penguin? Do you think any of us can afford it? This isn’t like pickpocketing and just watching for number one, Jason. You have to actually be smart.”

The worlds hit him so hard that for a moment Selina thought he would actually try to attack her, but Jason took a step back, and he looked like the kid that arrived a year before, a wild child, a stranger, and not her Jaybird at all.

“Okay… Fine. So, that’s what you really think. I’m not only useless, but also stupid. Fine. Good to know.” And he ran away before pushing the mug she got him on the ground, it spilled and crashed, spreading ceramic and tea everywhere.

“Jason!” she stood up to go after him but Alfred raised a hand for her to stop.

“Let him go, Madam.”

“Oh Alfred” Selina sobbed. “I shouldn’t have said that” she crouched to pick the pieces of the mug, Jason loved that mug.

“He still needed to hear it” said Alfred producing a broom out of looked like thin air. “He _is_ reckless and arrogant. And we had enough child soldiers as it is.”

“They are not… Fuck. Who am I trying to trick” she rose shaking and pressed the button. “Catgirl, report.”

“I got him.”

Selina heard a snort in the background.

“ _I_ got him, you were just useless.”

“Yeah right,” said Helena “like you wouldn’t have died if I wasn’t here to save your ass by cleaning the way.”

“Those guys? I’d crush them with my hands tied.”

Selina sighed and rolled her eyes praying for the day the two girls would outgrow the female rivalry thing, it was getting boring.

“It’s over Catgirl, retreat.”

“Why? Da- Batman needs help, doesn’t he?”

“You are done for the night, your father can take care of himself.”

“But Mom-“

“Now, Helena!” She let her body fall heavily on Bruce’s chair, and felt her heart sinking inside her chest. “Guess I’m not getting the award for Mother of the Year, Alfred.”

“Nonsense, ma’am” he said then pressed the button “Master Bruce, report.”

“Busy. Need assistance. Send Catgirl here.”

Selina pressed the button pushing Alfred aside gently.

“I told her to come back.”

“Why? Is she hurt?”

“Only her pride.”

“Fine. Can you come, then?”

Selina was about to answer when she thought she heard a known laugh coming from Bruce’s comm. Her heart jumped in her chest and Bruce talked again.

“Abort request. Robin is here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There is one red herring in this chapter. I don’t do batcest. And Helena is suffering the pains of having an annoying little brother.  
> Who would think that having no time for my other 52 hobbies would make me upload this faster?


	18. Charon - Part VIII

Selina was so happy when Batman, Robin and Catgirl arrived together that she forgot the nightmarish night she was having and the huge fight she just had with Jason.

“Oh my god you are so tall, where is the little boy that ran away from home?” She said against Dick’s neck neck, crushing the young man in a bear hug.

“Hey Sel,” Dick said hugging her back as strongly, and taking in her perfume, it made him feel so warm and safe. “I’ve missed you too. You look even more beautiful the video chats don’t make you justice.”

Selina snorted, wondering who was that flirty person in front of her, the Dick she remembered was adorkable at best. She let her heels touch the floor again as she looked up his face, his shoulders his arms as if she was looking for a missing piece or just assurance that he was whole.

“Welcome home, kitten.”

Dick gathered her hands, kissing them.

“Thank you,” then he turned to Alfred that raised his eyebrows alarmed seconds before also being engulfed in a hug so intense that made him let his cane fall on the floor “AlImissedyousomuuuuuuuch.”

“Master Richard!” cried the aggravated butler. “I have missed you too, but this is not proper, show some restraint.”

“Why would I do that?” Asked Dick rocking the butler’s body side to side like he was his favourite stuffed toy. “Do you know how much I learned to appreciate you more now I do my own laundry?”

oOo

“Why didn’t you tell me you were coming home?”

“I see you still haven’t learned to knock before entering other people’s rooms, Lena” teased Dick as he unpacked his small luggage. Nothing in his wardrobe at the mansion fit him anymore.

“Oh please, I’m legally allowed to ignore your privacy.”

“Yeah?” He smiled, feigning that wasn’t a conversation they had before. “How so?”

“Haven’t you read the Little Sister’s Manifesto?”

Dick snorted and closed the suitcase sitting on the bed and patting his side, Helena happily jumped beside him, curling under his arm.

“You know, one day Mary will throw that kind of bullshit back at you and you will hear me laughing from Jump.”

Helena’s smile fell.

“So…” she sighed. “You’re really never coming back home?”

“Lena…”

Dick held her a little bit closer, resting his head on top of hers.

“Why did you come today?”

“You are acting like you are surprised I’m here. B called me back home. He didn’t tell you?”

“No.”

Dick frowned.

“That’s weird. I mean, B is weird af, but why wouldn’t he tell you guys?”

“If it was literally anyone else I’d think they just forgot, but dad…”

“He always have a reason” Helena hummed agreeing. “So, where is Jason?”

“In his room, Alfred said he fought mom.”

“Selina? Really? But I thought they were super chummy with each other.”

“They are… That’s why he is so upset, I think.”

“Do you think I should go to his room to say hello?”

“I dunno. You can try. With Jason you just never know” they sit there for a little while, just enjoying the little time they had together, until they heard a beep and Dick unravelled his arms from Helena to take his communicator.

“Robin” he said is his serious business voice, making Helena smile.

“They don’t know your actual name?”

“Shush” he made raising his index finger to her.

“Greetings. Starfire speaking.”

Helena couldn’t hear the voice talking to him, but she noticed how Dick’s whole body posture changed. He stood up from the bed, and ran a hand through his hair, as if he was trying to fix his looks even though it was a regular phone call with no video.

“Hey Star. Is everything okay?”

“Yes. Pardon, affirmative. Everything is fine” three affirmatives and she sounded nervous for some reason, his stomach dropped.

“Are you sure? Kory, is everything alright?”

“Yes… I am sorry for interrupting your voyage. I just…”

“What?” he asked with a note of urgency already making the mental math for how many hours he’d lose trying to go back to the tower.

“I wanted to know if you were safe and well.”

He pressed the break in his running thoughts, confused.

“I sent a report when I got here yesterday, didn’t you get it?”

“I did. But I wanted to hear your voice.”

Oh.

“Oh.”

“I must go now. I shall not interrupt your family reunion further.”

“Star” he called, his voice getting involuntarily deeper.

“Robin?”

“It was nice to hear your voice too.”

He heard her make a happy sound and his heart almost burst out of his chest. They said overly polite awkward goodbyes and hang up. Dick looked to the communicator in his hand, his mind on the other side of the country, in a warm place where lived a girl that looked like she was made of pure sunlight. But he was dragged back to gloomy Gotham by Helena’s giggles.

“So…” She sing-songed. “You and Starfire, then.”

Dick winced his caramel skin, that was even darker than when he lived in Gotham, gained a shade of red.

“Lena… Don’t.”

“No, no, no” she said, laughter in her voice as she shifted in the bed exhibiting maniac energy that Dick was very familiar with, and that he knew it meant trouble. “You will tell me everything. I have dirt on you, sir.”

He laughed.

“And you want me to give you more? Willingly?”

“So _there is_ dirt!”

He bit his tongue.

“Go away, Helena, I have to unpack.”

“Yes you do, all your secrets, start talking Dickolas!”

He groaned, missing the five seconds ago when he had forgotten his worst nickname.

oOo

“I want to find my mother.”

Bruce frowned by the choice of words, but didn’t move from where he was, under one of the Batmobiles, fixing a broken engine.

“Isn’t she upstairs?”

“My _actual_ mother.”

Bruce stopped, and wheeled himself from under the car, sitting up and whipping his hands with a rag as he studied Jason with concerned eyes.

“Where does this come from?”

“When you showed me the adoption papers, and they found my lost birth certificate. It wasn’t my mother’s name in there. There was no Catherine Todd.” Bruce had noticed it too, but it had been a happy occasion for everyone and because Jason didn’t say anything either, he thought maybe the boy already knew. “This Sheila Haywood… What if she’s still alive? I might have a living mother somewhere.”

Bruce felt a cold wind wash over him. He wanted to defend his wife and say that there was a living mother right there, one that would never leave Jason. That loved him and that didn’t deserve that kind of betrayal because of a single fight. But he learned from his mistakes with Dick. And he would not push away this child too.

“What you want to do?”

“I want to find what happened to her and why…” he tried to finish the sentence, but he found out he couldn’t. He had become weak, that life was making him too soft.

“Why she left” Bruce finished the sentence.

“Yes” the boy swallowed hard.

“Okay” said Bruce in a neutral tone.

“Okay?” Jason looked almost affronted that it went so easily.

“It’s part of your history, Jason. You have right to know. But can I ask you to do something for me?”

“Ask me?” He blurted confused and awkward. “Fine, I guess.”

“Don’t tell Selina. It will break her heart.”

Jason never felt dirtier in his entire life, and he had made some disgusting things to survive. He almost wanted to say to Bruce to forget it, and he almost did. Maybe he would have said it if he thought he was capable to say something without bursting into tears. So he just nodded and left.

oOo

“YOU CALLED ME ALL THE WAY HERE FOR _THAT_?!”

Hidden behind one of the cave’s walls, Jason watched the fight.

“It’s time, Dick” Bruce said in a emotionless tone.

“You are so full of shit! He is _nine_! And Robin is not yours to take from me and give to your new guinea pig!”

Dick stormed out and before Jason could find another spot, the older boy was crossing his path, he looked so angry and not at all the sweet good-natured person in the stories people were always telling about him. He passed by Jason like he couldn’t see him, like he was nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SO MUCH FORESHADOWING. SO MUCH. Next chapter is a little bit less intense, but yeah, the slice-of-life stuff is kinda over.
> 
> Next time: WHEN THERE’S TROUBLE YOU KNOW WHO TO CAAAAAAAAAAAALL
> 
> Have a nice weekend, darlings, take care!


	19. Charon - Part IX

“Where is everyone?” asked Selina putting Mary in her high chair and sitting across Jason who was the only one at the table. The boy just shrugged and used a greasy finger to flip the page of his e-reader.

Alfred put the plate of porridge in front of Mary.

“Good morning, Miss Mary. Good morning, madam” then he noticed Jason trying to hide the e-reader and just extended his hand for the boy that sighed and gave him the gadget.

“Morning, Jeeves. Did Bruce take Helena and Dick somewhere?”

“No, ma’am. Master Richard returned to San Francisco-“

“What?! Why? What happened?”

“I do not know for sure. But it seems like he took Miss Helena with him.”

“Helena? Without telling me?” She stood up in such an angry move that her chair fell behind. “What the fuck is happening? Where is Bruce?”

“Downstairs, I reckon. I honestly know as much as you, madam.”

“We can’t have a nice day in this house without this kind of bullshit can we? Jason, do you know anything?”

“I saw golden boy and the man fighting yesterday.”

“Fighting about what?”

“I have no idea. Something about being time for something and golden boy didn’t want. He stormed off. I don’t know about Helena.”

Selina took a deep breath and seemed to be counting for a few moments before she turned back to Alfred.

“Can you give Mary her breakfast? I need to talk to my dumbass husband.”

“What about your breakfast, madam?”

“Oh, I’m full alright.”

After trying to call Dick multiple of times, and having no better help trying to contact Helena, Bruce hacked into the Titans Tower computer system.

“Titans” he said as soon as his image flicked on the main room screen. From the camera he hacked he could see a green boy sitting upside-down on the dirty sofa, and next to him the cyborg one, both of them holding video game controllers and looking at him with terrified expressions. “Where is Robin?”

Beast Boy was the first to react with a loud whimper as he fell from his unpractical position and tried to get himself standing.

“Dude, it’s the Batman on our TV!”

Cyborg ignored the younger boy and the expression he made reminded Bruce of that sound dial up internet modems used to make.

“ROB! YOUR OLD MAN IS HERE!”

Three girls arrived at the main room first. They couldn’t be more different between each other. The alien girl was flying and seemed comfortable wearing very little, the smaller brunette was also flying, but from her Bruce could barely see the eyes. And there was also Donna Troy, she had her camera hanging around her neck and looked more puzzled than curious or afraid like the other two. Only one the girls was human. None of them his daughter. Bruce clenched his jaw.

“Where is Catgirl?”

The Titans exchanged confused looks, and what scared Bruce the most was that they looked genuine.

“Why would she be here?” the question came from Dick as he entered the room, his face a mask of barely controlled anger.

“I don’t know what the both of you plan to achieve with this-“

“Richard John Grayson-Wayne!”

All the Titans looked aghast from their leader to the tiny angry woman with fluffy hair on the screen.

“Why did you left without saying goodbye and where the hell is your sister?!”

“Selina, please,” Batman said, in a very unbatman tone “you are not wearing a mask.”

“Let me go, Bruce!” she said pushing Batman’s arms away. “They are not stupid. Dick must have told them. They know who we are!”

“I don’t know where Helena is!” Complained Dick getting nervous and embarrassed, he never imagined _that_ would be the way his teammates you be introduced to his family.

“Alfred said she was with you” said Bruce “and her tracker is pointing to the tower.”

“Well, she isn’t here! And I can’t believe you put a tracker on her! What the fuck, B! Do I have one too?”

“Language, young man!” Said the Batman sternly, Dick pretended he didn’t hear muffle laughter behind him. “Of course you do.”

“You are the most disrespectful, controlling, piece o-“

Dick’s string of swears were muffled by the loud slam of one of the metal ceiling falling on the ground, missing Beast Boy by inches.

Helena jumped from the gaping hole with a flip.

“We should have this kind of security system at home, it was really fun to crack. Hey, cool, you are all at the same room. I’m Catgirl. Robin’s little sister.”

Helena’s back hairs rose as she heard the very familiar angry sound her mother made when she was way, way past her pissed off limit.

She turned slowly.

“Hi, mom,” she said in a small voice “…dad.”

“Do you have any idea of the problem you created for me?” Said Dick entering the room after Helena, annoyed by the tower’s automatic doors, he wanted to slam something.

“Oh please, you were already fighting. It’s not my fault at all” retorted Helena.

“It might not be your fault but you made things worse!”

“I wouldn’t have to do anything if you haven’t left. And without saying goodbye. What the hell, Dick!”

Dick took a deep breath and walked nervously around the room. They had finished the call with Bruce and Selina when the crime alert rang. Dick made Helena promise to not leave the tower as the Titans left to do their duties and for once she complied without a fight. It was so different to see Dick here, how comfortable and confident he looked giving orders and leading his team. It looked like a different person from whom she had grown up with, and, at the same time, exactly right. Like that was the one he always supposed to be.

When they got back, Dick called Helena aside to talk.

“He told me I am too old for Robin, that is Jason’s time.”

“What?! He can’t do that!”

That simple display honest outrage filled Dick with the validation he so desperately needed. Maybe having Helena there with him, wasn’t a disaster in all senses.

“Yes! Thank you!”

“Why do you think he’s doing that?”

“I don’t know… I didn’t want to hear it.”

“Story of your life. God, I don’t get it why you just can’t sit and talk like people. I mean, he must have a reason.”

“I don’t care about his reasons, Helena. Robin is mine. I created him. Bruce can fuck off!”

Helena seemed too stunned to talk, and Dick wanted to take the words back. He still meant all of them, but it made him feel childish and ashamed that he said them like that and to Helena.

“Dickie…” she approached him with a comforting smile, offering her hand that Dick took and kissed, she was about to say something else when the automatic doors slid open.

“Rob, Wondy is calling everyone for a meeting” then he noticed the two of them holding hands and made a weird face muttering something about sappy white people as he left.

Dick and Helena exchanged looks and laughed.

“So, Titans. This is my sister, Helena Wayne, yes, that Helena Wayne.”

“I TOLD YOU THAT WAS SELINA WAYNE! ALL OF YOU OWN ME MONEY!”

“Stop screaming, Gar” complained Donna. “So, Bruce Wayne being Batman is not just a meme?”

“We invented that meme” sighed Dick.

Helena giggled.

“It was fun. Remember when we tried to make it look like mom was having an affair with the Batman?”

Dick shared a smile with her. When Helena turned her gaze back to everyone else she couldn’t miss the transfixed way Starfire was staring at her.

“I don’t think I have to explain to all of you” Dick continued, staring straight at Garfield for emphasis “how precious are our secret identities to our safety. My family does not have special powers. The secret is what protect us. Understood?”

Dick waited as everybody gave verbal confirmation.

“So, Helena, these are the Teen Titans. Beast Boy…”

“The name is Gar, pretty mama, nice to meet you” said Garfield taking Helena’s hand and kissing it.

Dick rolled his eyes, Helena giggled.

“This is Vic, our Cyborg.”

“It’s cool to finally meet Rob’s famous little sister. He talks a lot of you.”

“Nice things, I hope?” Helena asked.

“As if there were nice things to say” teased Dick avoiding a poke on his ribs and moving on to the other people.

“Hey!”

“This is Raven, Rach show your face like a person.”

“I’m not a person” said Raven in a gelid voice, but Helena could tell she was just shy. She pushed the hood of her cape a little behind and Helena took the first glance of her face. She was pale, well not pale, not even her dad was that fair, her skin was light grey, it contrasted with her piercing violet eyes, but other than that, she looked like a normal girl. “Nice to meet you, I’m Rachel.”

“Nice to meet you too, Rachel.”

“This is Donna, don’t believe in anything she says.”

“Hi, Helena! I think it’s a travesty that’s how we are finally getting to know each other, since we do basically the same job of putting up with Dick’s bullshit.”

Helena laughed.

“Donna, I already like you!”

“Oh no” mock suffered Dick, finally moving on to the last member of the team. “And this, Lena, is Princess Koriand’r, our Starfire.”

Starfire gave Helena the most beautiful smile she have ever received in her life.

“It is the most wonderful to meet family of Dick.”

“It’s wonderful to finally meet you too, I’ve heard a lot about the amazing Starfire.”

“Is this true?” the alien girl searched for confirmation in Dick’s gaze, he sustained it, and gave her a small smile. Helena knew that smile. She have seen her dad giving it countless times to her mother, and her mother only. She felt happy for her brother but she was also sad. He was never returning home, because he was already in it. Dick’s home was somewhere else now. Someone else.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You might have noticed that this Titans Formation isn’t exactly the NTT’s not the 2003’s cartoon, and that I’m mixing the personalities of the characters too. We have Donna who is basically the NTT’s Donna but more of a teenager girl than the Mom FriendTM they made herself to be later (I hate that whole weird stuff with that older man). Vic is very much 2003’s Vic who was light-hearted and fun, but at the same time responsible and mature and less angsty than his comic counterpart. Gar is his cartoon and live action mix because comic’s Gar is trash 8D. Rae is a mix of them all, but I love her relationship with Dick in the old cartoon when it felt like she was his little sister sometimes, but I love how much more human she feels on the comics and the LA. And Starfire is also a mix of cartoon, comics and live action, because I love them all. She will say funny stuff like the cartoon sometimes, but will have the emotional depth and morals of the comics and liveaction. I don’t know why I’m telling you all of this, the Titans are important to this story but are not the main characters XDDD


	20. Charon – Part X

Jason felt... forgotten.

The talk of the house was, of course, Helena’s and golden boy’s dramatic escape. He watched the man, Selina and Al run up and down the stairs, shout at screens, phones and each other. Completely absorbed in their internal drama. Jason didn’t know why the fuss. For what they have told him, golden boy was used to just storm out at even the smallest spark of trouble between him and the man. It was almost pathetic how Bruce acted always so proud and happy with Dick’s presence when he was always such a jerk for no reason. Helena, on the other hand, haven been talking about visiting San Francisco for ages, and no one could say that Helena Wayne sneaking out was unprecedented or unexpected. No wonder Bruce had them all chipped like pets.

When Mary finished throwing her porridge everywhere, getting a few bites in between, he was the one to wipe her face and free her from the chair. He liked taking care of her, made him feel useful and sometimes he thought she was the only person who really appreciated him, even though she was terrible audience for his plays. She never payed attention to the story, but she always clapped at the end.

He was trying to play Hamlet to her with her own fairy tale themed finger puppets when he got a text from Babs.

_H and D ran away?? Like for real????_

Jason answered with a facepalm gif. They got closer after the day at the restaurant. He couldn’t say that they were friends, and Helena acted super weird when they were all together. But Babs helped him with his e-reader, he had not much experience with electronics or interest in them before, but Babs made it look cool somehow, and she wasn’t patronizing when she explained things to him. He also heard she friendzoned golden boy, what a legend.

_Dick and Bruce are fighting again_

_I think Helena just adsfgdfhgjjklll_

“Let go, Mary!” she took his hacked e-reader from him annoyed that he was not giving her undivided attention, she was about to throw his the gadget flying across the room, when he caught her in mid run. Mary giggled when he blew raspberries on her tummy before getting his gadget back.

Babs had sent him a meme of a confused cartoon. Jason chuckled.

_My bad_

_Well, Mary’s_

_Helena just followed him I think_

Barbara Lee answered:

_Oh give her a kiss for me_

_So H is not moving out then? That’s a relief_

_It would kill S_

Jason looked at the last line and sighed. Should he tell her? Bruce said he would help but could Jason really trust that? It would not be surprising at all if he just broke his promise to not hurt Selina. His wife would come first over Jason. Maybe he even thought that Jason wanted to know about his mother _to_ hurt Selina. And it wasn’t that. It wasn’t. Really. Of course Jason was angry, of course all the things she said had weight when it came to Jason take the decision to actively search for his mother, but it wasn’t the reason. Since he read that stranger’s name on his birth certificate he wanted to know who was her, why did she leave. It wasn’t some petty revenge.

But Bruce didn’t know that, and who knew if he would believe in Jason, or even it even mattered at all what were Jason’s motives.

The boy sighed and started to type.

Selina felt… robbed.

And it hurt to be in the receiving end for once. She also wanted to murder her husband for whatever he had done this time, but that feeling was familiar.

“Why is this happening, why?” she asked nervously passing like a caged animal.

“Selina…” she heard him trying in that tired tone of his. She had always being more physical when it came to showing stress, Selina was the kind of person who the even the littlest of the embers could lead to a massive explosion. Bruce gave an entire new meaning for bottling up, it wasn’t as bad when they were young. She missed it sometimes, the broken boy from her childhood. Bruce had told her about his ten years travel, but there was so much she didn’t know. And something happened that made him like that, somewhat distant even when she knew he was as much upset as her.

“What did you do? Jason said he saw you and Dick fighting. What did you do, Bruce?”

“I tried to talk to him about Robin.”

“What?”

“I’m… worried.” He said in a small voice, as if he was ashamed. “Jeremiah has been spreading his business to other cities. I’ve been contacted by Green Arrow, he said he faced the Joker in a drug bust last month” and Green Arrow had been very rude about it, talking Bruce’s ear off about him pretending to be holier than everyone but not being able to keep Gotham’s freaks in Gotham. “Star City is too close to Jump, and I think that’s where he really wants to get to.”

“Because of Dick.”

“Because of Robin” Jeremiah had taunted Batman about Robin since day one of the boy’s fighting crime career. “Dick doesn’t have to be Robin.”

Selina frowned, honestly confused about his line of thought. She knew Bruce’s brain didn’t work like hers, and sometimes it was up to her to listen and try to understand, but it was hard.

“But he won’t stop. You know he won’t. I’ve lost that fight.”

“He doesn’t have to be Robin to keep doing what he does. _That’s_ what I was trying to tell him, but he doesn’t listen, he thinks everything I say is to antagonize him.”

Selina felt her maniac anger dissolve after that. She finally stopped pacing and raised still shaking hands to her husband’s face.

“Oh Bruce” he leaned into her, resting his forehead against hers. Selina breathed in his scent, it weirdly felt even better when he was wearing that stupid armour. “I think I’m having the same problem with Jason. I said some things to him yesterday…”

“He’ll forgive you” he offered, and she felt the smile tugging her lips, she had been so angry at him just moments ago, and he somehow says the right thing and she is putty in his arms. Should she be ashamed of that? Or should she feel proud of how far they have come together? Fixate on that feeling, that one of love, companionship, trust, all the things she have never thought it would be possible to get. That for so long she had tried to come in terms with that didn’t belong to someone like her.

“I have to ask first.”

“Good luck with that.”

She snorted, rising her chin so she could stare at his eyes.

“You are in no better position, mister.”

He looked down, first to her eyes, then lower.

“Yeah? It looks good to me from here.”

Selina broke into giggles and pushed his face away half-heartedly, but he was already holding her in place by framing her hips with his hands and he even stole a few kisses on her cheek and neck as Selina pretended to reject him.

After the moment of silly banter was over, she was resting her head against his shoulder as he held her close, both of them mindlessly swaying although there was no music.

“Parenting is hard” stated Selina sighing.

“Yes…” He said patting her hair. “But I’m glad to be doing it with you.”

She smiled, rising her head and kissing him sweetly. Bruce was disorientated when she broke the kiss, her face transformed by anger once again.

“Can you believe that girl? How the hell did she get to San Francisco?”

“I think she stole a plane.”

“YOU TAUGHT MY DAUTHER HOW TO FLY A PLANE?!”

Bruce felt… powerless.

It doesn’t matter what he tries somehow it always came up wrong. He wishes he could understand his children as well as he understood a game of chess of the pattern in which crime spread to across city, but he didn’t. Dick, especially, every time he thought he was getting somewhere the game changed.

The feeling of powerlessness was eerily familiar, it was, after all, the driving force that made him the man he was now. It had created Batman. It made him to take Dick in after just meeting him. Every breath, every step, every thought of his was an attempt to get back that control. Anticipate, foresee, plan, and plan and plan. Be prepared.

And yet, he knew, it was a fool’s errand, so foolish that he knew that he couldn’t do it. At least in some aspect of his life he would have to hand out control to something else, someone else. He had chosen love to be that. His wife, giving up control was the middle ground where it made possible for them to be. And it haven’t been easy for either of them. It needed a lot of pulling from him and pushing from her for they get to the stage in which he could feel he could have her and yet she didn’t feel like she was owned by him. With his children, he thought for the longest time that it would be easier, simpler. He miscalculated.

When he called Dick back home was to try to amend things for once. They have been civil with each other, Bruce thought he could reach closer, he thought that getting to know Jason better would remember how It was in the beginning, what made them bond. He thought that Dick would see in Jason what he had seen in Dick. The chance to recover a lost innocence.

He really thought that would be the last mile he’d have to reach to get to his son, to get the relationship that they had in the past, but, again, Bruce was wrong. He hadn’t even thought about repurposing Robin for Jason before the boy asked about his biological mother. He wanted to discuss it with Dick, not dictate, it was not supposed to happen like that.

And now Helena… He had no idea of what he’d do if she asked to leave too. He just couldn’t think about that, and he knew that was exactly what Selina was thinking too. Selina… He wanted to discuss more with her, but he knew that telling her about Jason would hurt her, he just didn’t have the heart, he wanted to protect her as long as It was possible. It was the one thing that still was working for him lately in regards to his family.

After Selina was gone he called Helena. It was time to try something different.

“Hi daddy” she sounded happy, her voice was still sweet from childhood although she was almost a young woman now, Bruce felt something pull his heartstrings, the regret from losing so much time with her was never really gone.

“Hi princess. What are you thinking of San Francisco?”

“It’s so warm. Donna took us to the beach when the sun was setting, Dick’s teammates are the coolest.”

“Hmmm. I see” he wanted to ask if she was thinking of staying for good, but he didn’t dare.

“Is mom still mad?”

“Do you think she has reasons to be?”

“Sorry daddy.”

“Are you?” Because she didn’t sound at all.

“Kinda?”

Bruce sighed.

“Helena, since you are there I need you to do something for me. It’s very important. I’m sending you the details. I need you to bring Dick back to Gotham.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be the last of “Charon” but I think thanks to the Sandman audiobook I was in a character study mood and this is what came out. Next time we still be very character driven, but it will help move plot along. Also, DickKory freebies XDD
> 
> I’ll see you soon. Take care.


	21. Charon - Part XI

“Richar’d?”

He smiled, except from Alfred or Selina when they were scolding him, Kory was the only other person in the entire world that called him by his full name. And only when they were alone. He used to hate being called that when he was little, it was how the strangers called him after his parents died, he still does, but when Kory said it, sounded right. Like it was meant to be said with her accent and by her voice.

“Hey, Kory.” he turned to look at her, he was aware of how cliché it was to think about her as outworldly beautiful, but the feeling never dulled, he wonders if it would ever fade, a year gone by and nothing changed, he had made so many excuses. He had not left Gotham for that, and he had being in love with Babs for so long. He somehow felt he was betraying something by thinking so much about Kory, for even considering… And yet. “What’s up?”

She actually looked up before realizing her goof and smiling, Dick gave her an endeared boyish grin in return and for a few seconds it felt like a whole conversation was happening without the need of words. Kory approached him, their bodies almost touching, he could feel the insane heat of her skin so close. He wanted her to lean in, she had no reserves about touching him when they were fighting, she was always carrying him and flying him around. And if he wanted to be honest he’d have to admit that many of his most crazy somersaults were just an excuse for get her to catch him. It was like when he was little, when he knew his mother or his father would always catch him in mid-air. He never thought that he’d ever recover that feeling.

“Helena says you are leaving again.”

He said nothing for the longest of times, and turned his face away from Kory, staring at the ocean. He was thinking about the case Helena had made for Bruce, how he used his love for his sister to make him listen. Helena said that Dick had misunderstood Bruce’s intentions. Part of Dick, the one that was easier to listen to, the cynical one that whispered to him that Bruce was a controlling jerk and all he wanted was to shove Dick under his cape again and take away the thing that gave his life meaning. This part wanted to say fuck Bruce, he wasn’t leaving, he wasn’t giving up anything.

And then there was the part that was touched by all the other stuff. Helena showed him Bruce’s sketches for a new suit. It was… different. It clearly showed how much time and thought was spent in its design. All the little notes in Bruce’s tight handwriting about Kevlar in strategic places, and the composition of the fabric that was entirely new tech by Wayne Enterprises. It made of some sort of alien spider web that almost bullet proof and could stretch to accommodate his acrobatic fighting style, the pockets on his belt somehow smaller but the list of contents was bigger.

And the style… He could see each of his parents there. His roots. The shiny stretchy formfitting cut was perfect for stealth, it was mostly black but not Batman’s opaque black, it was Catwoman’s light reflecting shade. But Batman was there, mostly in the defensive armour, the spikes on his new gloves and boots, but especially the mask, as if Bruce wanted everyone that got close enough to catch a glance of Dick’s face to know that if something ever happened to him, the Batman would come for them.

There was no more traffic light colours. No cape. Bruce had used another of the Flying Grayson’s costume as reference, not the one they had died wearing, the one Dick had been wearing all these years as a reminder, as a shroud, but something from their days of glory. There was a picture Dick never have seen before, his parents weren’t looking at the camera, but Dick had to swallow a sob when he saw their smiling profiles, he had forgotten, his dimples were his mother’s, he had no idea of how much he looked like his father now he was almost a full grown man. The picture was black and white, but Bruce had pinned a couple of scraps of fabric next to them, blue and golden. The same blue and golden on the suit. The blue was rich and took the form of a bird stretched over the chest area in an aerodynamic style that spread to his shoulders and arms, with golden thin lines trimming separating the blue from the black. It was gorgeous.

He realized that he had made his decision, that he couldn’t just ignore how much care had been put in just those sketches. He realized that it was time to listen, to swallow his urge to be angry, to react. He was ready to grow up now.

“Kory” he said finally.

She hummed in response, turning her beautiful sunkissed face to him.

“When I come back we should go out on a date. What do you think?” She had been outspokenly honest about her feelings towards him since the day she kissed him to learn his language, he had been the one keeping her at arm’s length. Cowardly.

“I think I would like that.”

Dick took her hand and laced their fingers together, he wished he could bottle the feeling her bright smile brought to him and carry with him all the way to Gotham.

Jason had been searching sanctuary on the pages of books in a way he haven’t been done for a while. Selina watched him, his eyes bouncing from corner to corner of the pages as he absently played with Isis’ tail. It was really funny to watch how sometimes she would flicker her tail angrily away, but god forbid if she would just leave or scratch him like she did with everyone else that annoyed her, not her favourite.

Selina knocked at the opened door. He drowsily rose his eyes. He looked tired. She bet he had been reading into the night again. She felt a pang of guilt. She knew he had trouble sleeping and the last few days must have been hard for him. She wished she could just whisk him to her bed like she did with Helena when she was little. But Helena expected to be consoled by her mother after a nightmare. Jason would be offended. 

“Can I come in?” Selina asked.

“Sure” said drily.

The cat meowed to Selina.

“Hey your little traitor” she said scratching Isis’ head. The cat purred contently then she stood up in her four little paws and stretched her furry body, jumping off Jason’s bed to find a place less crowded. Selina sat on Jason’s bed noticing his mismatched socks with amusement, she took one of his feet to her lap and tried to tickle him.

“Hey! Don’t do that!”

“Why don’t train with me anymore?” she asked.

“Really? After all the crap you said about me?”

“Jason… I’m-“ she stopped herself and took a deep breath, holding Jason’s gaze firmly. “Because of what I said.”

“Oh my god…” he threw the book on the bed angrily, wishing she would just leave.

“Just listen, kitten, please.”

“No, I don’t care. I knew this was going to happen. I’m so fucking stupid!”

“Jay, please. I didn’t mean to hurt you, and for that, I’m sorry. I truly am. But honey you scare me.”

“Because you think I’m dangerous and useless, yeah I know.”

“No. It’s because I think you are brave. Too brave for your own good. Jason, you don’t have to go out to prove yourself to us or anyone” he was still refusing to look at her and Selina’s urgency was suffocating her. “You don’t need a costume and a death wish to be part of this family. When I’m against you joying Catgirl and Robin, I’m not trying to exclude you. I just want you safe.”

“But you said I’m reckless and-”

“And I stand by that, but it doesn’t mean I think less of you. Jason, kitten, you are nine, I know you have been through a lot and sometimes that make us feel older, when I was your age I thought I could take care of myself just fine, and now I look back and I know I was lucky I didn’t die or worse.” He looked at her with the corner of his eyes and Selina could finally breathe again. “Jay, look, I’ll tell you something Dick and Helena never heard. I didn’t even tell Holly. And I’d like you to not comment about what I’m going to tell you to them or to Bruce, he hates this story.”

As resented as he was, his curiosity was stronger.

“Fine.”

“Promise?”

“Yes.”

“With your pinky?” she offered hers with a tentative smile.

“I’m not a baby.”

“Debatable” she snorted, Jason rolled his eyes. “I was really hurt once. The Joker shot me” Jason stared at her with eyes wide in shock “he didn’t call himself that back then. He had a thing for Bruce, the sick bastard, thank god he is more interested in Bats now” she said trying to get a smile from him, but Jason just folded his arms. Selina guessed she deserved that. “Well, he shot me because he thought that if I died Bruce would go crazy like him. I didn’t die. But I couldn’t walk anymore. And I was the one going crazy.”

He sneered at her, completely unconvinced.

“But you _can_ walk, that makes zero sense. If you wanna feed me some bullshit at least make one that fits.”

Selina took a deep calming breath but her hand held Jason’s feet a little bit harder.

“Just listen, kid. I couldn’t walk anymore. And I… Fuck it. If I couldn’t take care of myself I’d rather die, that was a the person I was back then. And to this day I think _that’s_ what messed up Bruce in the end. The guilt… Do you understand what I am saying?”

“So, how come you can walk then?” He insisted, Selina rolled her eyes.

“B talked with Ivy and she gave him a weird poisonous plant that would either kill me or heal me. Gladly, it did the last, but it messed up my head, and I tried really hard to kill Jeremiah and almost got Alfred, Bruce and myself killed off for good.”

“A plant?”

“Well, you can believe me or not. Your choice. But what happened to me and what I did after that hurt the people that cared about me. What I need you to understand is that what I mean when I say you cannot be trusted is because it takes time for people like us to get used to not being alone anymore. Jason, what happens to you hurt us all because we love you.”

One moment he was holding his ground, completely decided to not let any of her words get to him. He wanted to be like a wall, he wanted to prove to her that he was strong, and mature, and that she didn’t have to be so worried about him because he didn’t care about her feelings. He didn’t want to be seen as a pansy, an emotional crybaby. But after those last words Jason found himself uncontrollably sobbing against Selina’s shoulder as she rubbed his back.

He couldn’t even understand why he was crying so hard, but she seemed to get it. She didn’t tell him to stop, she didn’t say those meaningless sweet nothings that people told to crying children to make them shut up. She just held him, and let him pour his heart out. All the frustration, all the things he had to do to himself to keep together, he felt like he was holding something heavy for the longest time and now he finally could let go.

“But… When then?” He finally said after a while, his head was now on Selina’s lap as she combed his wavy hair with her fingers. “When you think I’ll be ready?”

“I don’t know. You can ask Helena and Dick, they will tell you that I was never into them getting costumes either. But I can’t control you, and I don’t want you to think I’m trying to… But Dick’s coming back home, Bruce and I were talking and he said it would be good if Dick trained you too. I don’t think both of you have bonded enough.”

“Do you think he’ll want to do it? Train me, I mean.”

“Why wouldn’t he?”

“I don’t know… I don’t think he’d be into it.”

“Pff, he’ll love to train you. You are more alike than you think, Jason.”

“So… you won’t do it anymore? Train me?” he asked almost shyly.

“Hmmm…” she made in a teasing tone “so you still want me to.”

“I didn’t say that!”

Selina chuckled and kissed his front.

“Don’t worry, kitten. Dick will leave again, that traitor, I’ll have you all for myself then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Charon is finally over. I swear to Fortuna that I thought this section of the story would be shorter. I’m not showing you the whole Nightwing thing, this story is not about Dick. I know, it’s shocks me too!
> 
> BTW this story’s version of the Nightwing suit is an original one, I did a mash up of discowing (THE BEST SUIT) and the sensible and boring post crises one. I’ll try to drawn it someday, but drawing male bodies is such a pain and I haven’t been in a drawing mode lately.
> 
> Please comment, leave kudos, fave, bookmark, subscribe remember I’m very poor and lonely and I get zero money from this XDDD And I’ll see you soon in Persephone part I.


	22. Persephone - Part I

Persephone – Part I

> _"O Gods who rule the dark and silent world,_  
>  _To you all born of a woman needs must come._  
>  _All lovely things at last go down to you._  
>  _You are the debtor who is always paid._  
>  _A little while we tarry up on earth._  
>  _Then we are yours forever and forever._  
>  _But I seek one who came to you too soon._  
>  _The bud was plucked before the flower bloomed._  
>  _I tried to bear my loss. I could not bear it._  
>  _Love was too strong a god, O King, you know_  
>  _If that old tale men tell is true, how once_  
>  _The flowers saw the rape of Proserpine,_  
>  _Then weave again for sweet Eurydice_  
>  _Life's pattern that was taken from the loom_  
>  _Too quick. See, I ask a little thing,_  
>  _Only that you will lend, not give, her to me._  
>  _She shall be yours when her years' span is full."_
> 
> _\- The Myth of Orpheus and Eurydice, as told by Apollonius of Rhodes, Virgil and Ovid (and retold by Edith Hamilton)_

Jason’s training time with Dick had been a lot less eventful than he thought it would be. It really surprised him to find out that Dick was a way more patient teacher than Bruce and even Selina had ever been. Then, much later, when he thought about it harder, Dick have been training other kids on Jump all this time and it made sense. He heard so much about Dick’s work ethic, how he followed Bruce’s relentless rhythm without complaining like Helena, or cheating like himself.

But, on their first session Jason didn’t know any of that, and the resentment he had been harbouring against the Wayne’s firstborn was still clouding any chance of doubt that Dick would be awful and the training sessions would be a pain. So, when a grinning Dick’s handed him a white jumpsuit he was suspicious.

“What is this thing for?”

“Put it on.”

“But what for?”

“You don’t have to, but you’ll have to explain to Alfred what happened to the clothes you are wearing now.”

Jason rolled his eyes but did as told, as soon as he finished zipping it up he felt something wet hitting his back, he turned alarmed but found no one, just Dick that haven’t moved a muscle beyond the smile tugging his lips.

“What the fuck was that?!”

“They let you use that kind of language? In my time Alfred would be washing your mouth with soap.”

“Liar!” Helena’s voice shouted. Jason turned around his own orbit looking for her, but she was nowhere to be seeing.

“It was her! You didn’t say she would come!” Accused Jason angrily. “Come out!”

“She won’t” said Dick “and she should be _silent_ for this to work.” He added in a louder tone.

“Bad guys won’t be silent!” She shouted back.

“They won’t be talking and giving out their location either, shup up, Lena!”

A balloon came buzzing in Dick’s direction and only missed him straight on the face because he moved even faster away with a somersault, Jason didn’t want to admit, but he was impressed.

“I’m not the target!” another balloon came from somewhere, but Dick avoided that one too. “Come on, Lena! You said you wanted to help.”

“I’m helping!”

Dick sighed and turned back to Jason.

“I already miss missing her. Anyway, so you wanna be Robin. Robin’s job is distracting the bad guys so B and Catwoman can do their work, what means that you’ll have to avoid being hit.”

Jason groaned.

“Really? That bullshit again?”

“That bullshit _is_ the job, if you can’t do it you can just give up being Robin.”

Jason rolled his eyes.

“Fine, whatever.”

“Today is very simple, you have to avoid as many Helena’s balloons as you can.”

“Eas-“ Jason’s mouth was filled with paint and he heard Helena’s laugh echoing through the cave.

“Lena! Not the face!” complained Dick coming in Jason’s defence to the boy’s surprise. “I knew I should have taken some googles for you too.”

“Can I try to hit her back?” asked Jason feeling adrenaline spreading through his body as he spat paint and avoided a couple balloons with some difficulty.

“You know what? She deserves it if you do, that, of course _if_ you can find her…” Dick answered.

“That was not what we agreed!” Helena shouted.

“Too bad for you, princess” sing-songed Dick in a complete different tone that Bruce used.

Later the three of them were lying exhausted on the grass of the kitchen’s garden, paint everywhere, the jumpsuit had helped but as Helena had kept aiming at his face every time Jason said something to provoke her, the paint had slid through the rim of the collar. Even though Dick said the paints were safe and washable Jason was certain that he would have trouble getting it off his skin and hair, it didn’t help that his hair had lighter spots that soaked the green and reds.

Later, Jason was impressed by how instead of pushing his ways on Jason, Dick tried to mould the training around Jason’s best abilities and faults. Unlike Bruce and Selina, Dick’s training sessions usually had music and boy, he could talk, especially about his teammates, and they were even interrupted by his Titan Communicator a few times, that could be kind of annoying.

There was this one time too in which their training was aided by Cyborg and Beast Boy over a video call. That was Jason’s favourite and he talked about it afterwards so much that the rest of the family was amused by his excitement.

Garfield had a dumb and sometimes lewd sense of humour that made Jason roll on the floor in laughter sometimes, and Cyborg was the coolest person he had ever met in his entire life.

But what surprised Jason the most was how bummed he felt when Dick announced he was going back.

“You can call me anytime you want, I don’t promise to pick up instantly, but I’ll always get back to you” Dick said pulling Jason aside on their last meal with the whole family together. Dick had a weird expression on his face, like he was embarrassed of something. “You know Jason, I was worried and to be honest angry about you taking the job, god you are so young. But I remember joining B and wanting to be part of this whole mess… So, I get it. And when B talked about giving Robin to you… You know why I took the job, don’t you?”

Oh not that again.

“Your parents” Jason answered in a bored tone.

“Yes. You don’t have a motive like that, and I thought… I thought it made it cheaper. But now… I’m glad you don’t have to avenge anyone. That you are nothing doing it over pain and grief like B, like _me_. It gives me hope you know?”

Jason didn’t know what to say after that, so he did the only thing he could, he hugged Dick that chuckled and hugged him back so hard he felt a rib crack.

Jason took his headset off and ignored Beast Boy’s and Dick’s shouting match as he abandoned both of them and caused their whole party to be killed when he got distracted by Barbara Lee’s text.

_I found her_

Feeling his heart trying to jump out of his chest and his blood run so fast his ears ringed, he typed his answer managing to fit four typos in a three-word sentence asking her for more intel. The three dots dancing seemed endless and he decided to bury the amount of anxiety brewing in his stomach with food grabbing a bag of chips from his secret stash behind the headboard of the bed and looked transfixed at the still empty instant message conversation box, no doubt spreading crumbles all over the duvet.

“Jay, since you are the only person besides myself with a fashion sense in this house which one you think is the best?” Selina entered his room without knocking, her hair and makeup were already done but she was wearing a pink bathrobe and carrying two black dresses, she and Bruce had a gala tonight, he and Helena didn’t have to go with them to their relief. “Whatcha eating? Give me some and I won’t tell Jeeves.”

“It’s BBQ, you don’t like it” he said with his mouth full, trying to get the bag out of her reach.

“Lies, it’s pepper, I can smell it. Gimme.”

He sighed and closed the lid of his laptop. Babs was still typing, and he didn’t want Selina to see any of that anyway. She took a handful of his chips and he pretended to be upset.

“Won’t the crumbs ruin you makeup?”

“I don’t care. I’m hungry and I love those. The saddest thing about breastfeeding beside raw nipples” he made a disgusted face, she ignored “is having to eat actual food instead of trash, and you know how Bruce goes on and on over food. Don’t let him know you have these. He cares too much for a man raised by someone who thinks salt is a spice.”

“Because in Bangladesh…” mocked Jason in a phony deep voice. “He made you try the whey ice cream yet? It’s the most disgusting thing I have even eaten and I used to eat from actual garbage cans.”

“Nope, he knows I’d divorce him if he tried.”

Jason snorted and then looked at the dresses she had hanged on his wardrobe’s knobs before jumping on his bed to steal his snack. He knew she was just procrastinating to get ready to annoy Bruce and because she hated those parties. She couldn’t even steal wallets because nobody carried them, and lift jewellery from dumb people was just too easy and not fun, her words not his.

“So, what’s today’s rich nonsense about?”

“I have no idea” she said taking more chips “but B said I couldn’t be slutty. I said, love, slutty is my whole brand and he said that if I gave some old fart a heart attack there would be more stupid articles about me. And we are already suing after that one about me cheating on him with the Batman, Lucius is getting annoyed.”

“Well, there’s a waaaay more information there than I needed, but the dress on the right has a higher neckline, I think?”

“Hmft” she made looking at the dresses, her hand stopping midway to her mouth, Jason discreetly took a picture with his barely used phone that was always around 15% charged to the horror of anyone ever looking for him “it does have a bare back though.”

“Aren’t you a bit old to go out dressed like that?”

She gave her trademark look of complete outrage.

“I’m what? Old? Me? Come here you little-“

Jason squealed and jumped off the bed to get away from her but he didn’t go far because the door was blocked by Bruce’s huge figure with his arms crossed.

“Selina… I’ve been waiting you forever, you are not even dressed yet. Jason, and what you are doing still upstairs? Helena is almost ready for patrol. Dick didn’t give you Robin for you to neglect it.”

“Dick was playing Fraternity of Folklore with me and BB five minutes ago” Jason retorted laughing.

“Relax Bruce, they will be alright” whispered Selina to Bruce when she saw him twitch his tie for the third time in a row. “They are smart and well-trained.”

Bruce pretended to drink from his flute and nodded to an old executive he had no idea how was called.

“Except they are always picking the dumbest fights with each other. I don’t understand why they can’t just get along like when it was just Helena and Dick.”

Bruce stared as Selina’s bare back arched as she pretended to examine one of the items exposed around the party room, he controlled the urge to touch her warm skin, they would have time for that later.

“It’s the age difference” she said straightening herself. “And I doubt Helena and Dick would still be so fond of each other if they still had to stand each other’s mood swings and daily teenager drama. Distance makes the heart goes fonder and all that crap.”

“Talk from experience?” he asked smirking.

“Oh no… I spent ten years thinking about breaking you beyond repair, I still might” and the Selina gave him a dangerous look and despite her disadvantage in their height difference made him feel completely under her claws.

But they were interrupted by a socialite and her model trophy husband wanting to make small talk. 

The new Robin debuted after just three months of training with Dick. The speed had more to do with Dick’s eagerness to go back to Jump than Jason. But far from feeling unprepared, the boy felt like he had been born ready for the job. He didn’t even care about the silly booties and loud yellow cape. In truth, he loved being a colourful eyesore crossing the gloomy nightscapes of Gotham, it was part of the fun.

This would be his first night patrolling without adult supervision, technically, Catgirl was the one in command.

“Robin, you take Lemmar’s Park’s side and I’ll take Endbury’s Park’s side and we meet at Bowery Gate”

“What? Come on! Nothing happens there!”

“Exactly.”

“This is bullshit. You are not the boss of me. See ya!” And he took off on the inverse direction she had set him.

Helena screamed at the night air in anger and was muttering at herself all the ways she would kill Jason when she heard a giggle behind her.

Batgirl was sitting with her legs crossed at the top of the water reservoir of the building Helena and Jason had used to brief. Her red hair blowing although barely had any wind and that annoying smirk of hers that Helena wanted to tear with her claws.

“You know, they say talking to yourself is the first sign of madness.”

“And what _you_ are doing here?”

“The cops are doing a drug bust on Gaisly, wanna help?”

Despite herself Catgirl grinned following the other heroine.

“Why did you steal from the Penguin for?” asked Bruce distraught as he reached the rooftop of the building the ruined party had been happening. Everyone had fled terrified after Oswald had noticed that one of exhibiting art pieces that belonged to him had disappeared, he was throwing one of his huge fits. “Give it back!”

“Are you being serious right now?”

“Selina, come on!”

“It’s not his! It’s a Galavan family medal. He got if from Tabitha, the woman he killed” the she added in a lower tone “stealing from Penguin my ass.”

“Oswald payed for it, Selina, it’s his.”

“Payed for it? Oswald? With what? His mob money? Did you hit your head against the headboard too had last time we fucked? Or you’ve got brain worms?”

“He’ll start a whole war over this thing, you know how he is. Just let me buy it from him or something. Give it back.”

“Nah” she said simply and climbed on the edge of the roof, giving him plenty show of her legs. “But if you catch me, you can punish me for being such a bad, bad girl” saying that she blew him a kiss and let her body fall from the edge of the building they were, her dress flaring around her. Bruce’s heart skipped a beat and he tried to reach for her, but soon her laugh filled the night and he noticed she had her whip with her all this time snaked around her thigh. She was far when he found a place to change and follow her, and even did actual vigilant work before he heard a familiar “meow” coming from a dark alley.

She was still in her civvies, but the wind had made her carefully coifed hair become a mussed mess and he was only sorry it had been his work. He pinned her in place against the dirty wall before she could scape again and took off his gauntlet and glove, happy with the easy access her dress provided when he sneaked a hand between her thighs and captured her lips at the same time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Making up phony names for real life things is such fun, I’m still giggling over Fraternity of Folklore XDD
> 
> Classic BatCat stuff and a little of plot. You also finally got the new Robin.
> 
> This chapter when through a lot of rearranging so if something feels weird it might be that. Thank you to S_Lily for writing a comment pushing me for actually work on Jason’s and Dick’s relationship hahaha
> 
> Also huge thank you to WCLC for writing that cute comment on ffnet. I was having a shitty day when I got the email alert and your comment was the silver lining that got me through it.


	23. Persephone - Part II

Persephone – Part II

Jason’s eyes were dry and twitching. He spent the whole night reading and rereading the files Barbara Lee had sent to him. Sheila Haywood was a doctor. She worked in a humanitarian mission in Ethiopia, Eastern Africa. She had dated Willis Todd but never married him. She had Jason when she was very young. It was a huge cliché really. A woman has a child when she’s too young and too broke to take care of a baby, she gives the child away and makes a life for herself. He had heard so many stories like that. If it was someone else he’d probably think she had been smart and brave. But things change when you are the main character of a sad story, because when it is with you, it’s not a story at all, it’s your life.

And it was so weird, he couldn’t wrap his mind around the thought of his father being the sort of person that would sacrifice his own freedom to keep a baby. Jason couldn’t understand why he had done such a thing. He had never get anything but violence and contempt from that man. Catherine Todd, in other hand, he had loved, so much, but she had turned into the child in their relationship soon after Willis died, when she started using. Jason remembered pushing a small stool to climb on the bed with her, his short legs not yet reaching it easily, he’d brush her falling hair. He remembered the awful obscenities she screamed at him in her final days when he couldn’t give her what she wanted. Of going to bed hungry because she had used all their money to buy dope, his toys, his books, disappearing one by one as she sold them. And then, she died and he didn’t have anyone, not even to rebel against. Relief was the first thing he felt when he noticed that she wouldn’t wake up no matter how hard he shook her. It was only later that he screamed in despair. That still haunted him, made him feel dirty.

But maybe… now that he had a mother somewhere he could get some kind of closure. Maybe if he had someone to confront then he’d be a clean slate, and become the child Bruce and Selina wanted him to be.

He thought about what Dick said, about being glad that he was not a Robin born of grief. Dick was not the jerk he thought he was, but he still didn’t understand. Grief can be even more complicated when your parents were not stolen from you but chose to go, by abandoning you or doing stupid things that get them killed. The only person that might really understand that was, maybe, Selina, but Bruce had asked him to not tell her about Sheila Haywood, and Jason didn’t want to add that guilty to his already toppling pile.

So, he wasn’t sure of what he was really doing when he knocked on her door.

“What you want?” Helena’s hair was sticking up everywhere and was a stain on her cheek that looked like drool? It was expected, considering it was barely five a.m. on a Saturday.

“I…” he wanted to make a half turn and run away back to his room. That had been a terrible idea.

“Well?”

“You know what? Forget it” and yet he didn’t move, there was something wrong with his legs, it felt like they were made of lead.

Helena let out a wide yawn and rubbed her face before clenching her eyes looking at him, really looking at him, Jason was caught by the realisation of how she looked like Selina. People was always saying that, he never quite agreed until this moment.

“Jay, you okay?” still getting no answer from him, Helena opened her door clearing the way for him. “Come in.”

Jason had never been at Helena’s room, but not even a bit of the purple covered walls or the bed overpopulated by plushies surprised him.

She yawned again and sat on the bed, then she noticed that she was sitting on a turtle plush and threw it across the room. Jason would have found the whole thing comical and made fun of her any other day, but now, now he wanted to disappear.

Helena patted her bed, and when Jason didn’t move she sighed, stood up and lead him by the shoulders to her bed forcing him to sit.

“Spill.”

“I found my mother” he blurted embarrassed.

She was looking more awake now, but her whole face frowned in confusion.

“Didn’t she die?” 

“No. I mean, yes. Look, I was adopted before. The woman who raised me… she wasn’t my real mom.”

She was still frowning, but she was completely alert now, and he could almost hear the gears in her head turning.

“And you found her… Your birth-mother.”

“Yeah.”

“When…? Is she trying to get to you or something? She talked to you?”

“No, no… I… I never talked to her. I don’t think she even remember me at all. But I asked Babs and she found her.”

“Babs? As in Barbara Lee?”

“Who else?”

Helena sounded like she was about to say something and then she clamped her mouth shut and stayed silent for a while making Jason even more nervous and unsure if he had made the right thing by coming to her.

“Mom and dad know about that?” she finally asked, she looked like she had tasted something sour.

“B knows…” he breathed. “He told me to not tell Sel.”

“That was smart of him” she said matter-of-factly.

“Helena-“

“Jason-“

He sighed and looked down, watching his toes.

“Jason…” she tried again “I understand you wanting to meet her.”

“Do you?” he raised his head honestly surprised.

She smiled, again, it was the exact smug smile of her mother.

“Why the surprise? You know I didn’t meet dad until I was almost ten, don’t you?”

“Oh…” he realized “I forgot.”

She snorted.

“I guess you were to little when it was hitting the news. Anyway… I understand the whole thing about wanting to know where you come from, why you mother didn’t keep you and all the stupid stuff that we come up with. I do but…” she trailed of as if she was editing what she really wanted to say. “I asked myself the same things about dad and… I had a lot of luck, you know?” she finally finished struggling to make sense.

Helena waited for Jason say something but he was back at looking down to his toes, his face crumpled in a frown.

“Look, I don’t know what made your mom leave, I don’t know why she never looked after you… What I mean is… Once you find out… You can’t come back to not knowing. And what if she’s a horrible person? You don’t know this woman, _we_ don’t know her.”

“You don’t know that!” He said angrily and snapping his face back at her.

“Exactly! I’m not trying to be mean. I know we fight a lot, but… You are my little brother, and it’s my duty to try to shield you from stuff. What do you even know about her?”

He wondered how she could drop a confession like that and keep talking like it was nothing, he was feeling his face heat up. Jason was grateful for the penumbra, because if she could see him clearly he was giving ammunition for her to make fun of him for free.

“She’s a doctor working at a humanitarian mission in Africa.”

“A doctor?” she looked visibly surprised and then her face turned into an angry one. “She was a doctor all this time while you were living on the streets?”

Jason didn’t have thought about that.

“I don’t think she was a doctor when I was born… But, yeah. Maybe she thought I was okay with my parents.”

“I guess… But still. I don’t know Jason. I’d be angry anyway. I was angry with dad and in the end he didn’t even know I existed. But I find hard to believe that your mother doesn’t know about you.”

They didn’t talk for a while again, Jason played with the ears of a stuffed bunny.

“What would you do? If it was you?”

“I’d look for her” she stated in a neutral but honest tone.

Jason turned a confused face to Helena.

“But you said-“

“You asked what I’d do not what I think you should do.”

He rolled his eyes, a smile fighting its way despite the heavy subject of their conversation.

“You need to talk to mom, though,” she continued.

“What?”

Helena sighed, her eyebrows rising in realisation.

“Yeah… She’ll be sad, but I think you need to talk to her before contacting this woman.”

“Damn…” Jason winced.

“I know…” she patted him on his shoulder “I can go with you when you tell her. Give you some moral support.”

He eyed her with suspicion.

“Why you being so nice?”

“What you mean? I’m always nice!”

He snorted. She threw a plush at him and laughed, he jumped crouching on the bed and reached for another plush to throw at her, but he missed, she laughed harder, he became more determinate. Alfred found them three hours later sleeping. Helena face down using a stuffed alligator as pillow and Jason uncovered belly up with one foot resting on Helena’s backside.

When he landed on the top of the Gotham Cathedral, Batman found Catwoman crying. And it was such an outlandish scene that his body just didn’t know how to react.

“What is wrong? Selina? What happened?”

Selina didn’t say anything, but she crossed the way through the rooftop and threw herself at Bruce’s armoured chest, sobbing.

“Love, I don’t understand” he whispered in a pained voice, holding her against him. “Talk to me”

“Jason talked to me. Well, he and Helena. When they finally get along it’s for this… I feel like I was tricked by an evil genie.”

“Oh…” he said with a heavy note of understanding.

“You knew?!” She pushed him away angrily.

Bruce tentatively stepped forward in her direction but didn’t dare touch her.

“Yes… When you fought a while ago, he said he wanted to track his biological mother-“

“And you didn’t think about telling me?!”

“Of course I did. But I thought it was just about the fight. That he didn’t really mean it. I thought that when the both of you made up he’d give up the idea. And as he didn’t talk about it anymore I thought that was the case… I was wrong.”

“You hid it from me!”

“I did, I’m sorry” and noticing her sceptic expression he said a little firmer “I really am. I should have told you. I was trying to shield you and I ended up leaving you unprotected.”

“Jesus…” she sniffled. “Bruce you can pull that shit, we’re supposed to be a team.”

“I know, come here” he guided her to his arms again, resenting her cowl for covering her hair as he kissed the top of her head. “What you want to do about it?”

“What _can_ I do? I’m going with him after this woman.”

“Selina… You don’t have to.”

“But I do. Don’t I? I don’t want him to resent us to keep him from his mother who turns out is a doctor for starving kiddies in Africa” she made a disgusted face. “God…”

“I can go with him instead” he offered.

“No. I’ll go.”

“Cat…”

“I have to, B. Because I know exactly how he’s feeling and no offense, but if this woman turns you to be another Maria Kyle I’m the better person to deal with the situation.”

“Not taken” he held her a little firmer, grateful for still being able to do it after all that happened between them. What was so deeply wrong with him that he was always hurting Selina as desperate attempts to protect her? He felt so stupid making the same mistake over and over again.

They stood in silence for the longest of time, just holding each other, and at one point, Selina’s tears dried up and she took a long deep breath and turned her face up, resting her chin against Bruce’s chest as she stared into his black rimmed eyes.

“You remember last time we were here?” she asked.

He took one hand to her cheek, caressing it with her thumb.

“Yeah, you told me about our daughter despite everything. You were so selfless to let me in. You are such a good mother.”

Selina snorted.

“No need for the buttering up you already have the permission to touch my butt.”

Bruce smirked and the hand on her waist slid down.

Selina giggled and hid her face on his chest again sighing.

“We’re gonna be fine” she whispered and then turned her face up again, getting on the tip of her toes and kissing Bruce, relieved that they had each other no matter what.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And... We all know where this is going. I can say that I’m excited for writing the emotional repercussions and at the same time I’m not ready at all. I’m glad I have “Want” to unwind from all the heavy stuff and if you haven’t read that yet, what are you waiting for?
> 
> I’ll see you guys soon.


	24. Persephone - Part III

Persephone – Part III

“Are you sure you don’t wanna see the...” Selina took her designer’s white rimmed shades to read the pamphlet she got at the airport after they landed for a second time. Turns out an endless fourteen hours to get to Addis Abba, the Ethiopian capital, wasn’t enough, they endured another two hours to the Gode Airport and that was the quickest way to the refugee camp where Jason’s biological mother was currently working. And that because they took a private jet, she shuddered thinking about making such long trip flying commercial. Marring rich had its perks, although nowadays most of her problems were related to marring the eccentric rich man the perks came with. “St George’s Cathedral?”

“What for? We have churches in Gotham. Damn I can’t read shit of what’s written here” he was trying to read from an Ethiopian website on his phone. “How can we find a car to rent?”

Selina sighed looking with longing at the pamphlet that offered touristic tours and that was written mercifully in English before folding it and tucking it in her handbag.

“We should have brought Helena after all, she probably speak a little Amharic, because that’d what you get when you have kids with a nerd.” She had begged for Selina to take her too, but Selina reminded her that in the absence of Catwoman and Robin, Catgirl had duties to attend. And there was also Mary, she’d already miss her mother and her favourite sibling for a while, Selina couldn’t take Helena from her too. “It actually surprises me that Bruce didn’t enrol you in a crash course or something.”

“He’s making me take Latin first” mumbled Jason still fidgeting with his phone.

“I’m so sorry, kid” she snorted.

“It’s not that bad,” he said absently attention still focused on his phone “my mom used to speak Spanish to me when I was little, so it’s kinda easy for me.”

“Really? My mother did that too. She was half-Cuban. But I don’t remember anything.”

Jason rose his eyes to that.

“How come you never talk about you mother?”

“Because she was a heinous _puta_.”

The boy found it hilarious, as little boys usually found swear words to be, and Selina smiled at his mirth.

“Yes! Finally!” She eyed down to see what he meant and saw the app on his phone start translating the information.

Selina felt her heart sunk at the obvious excitement on Jason’s face as he talked about renting cars, and routs through the desert and about how cool Sheila’s work was. For a moment she wondered if she just should put a stop to that, force Jason into the jet and fly back home, and then she berated herself internally for her selfishness. She used to like her selfishness, it used to be one of her great qualities. What had happened?

Bruce didn’t want to go to bed. His empty bed. So, he decided to procrastinate by doing some extra hours of work, he was lucky like that, there was always work to do. Well, that had been what he told himself he was going to do. Even so, his hand was constantly going to his phone, he wanted to call her, wanted to hear her voice, ask about Jason, but he had talked to them earlier and he didn’t want to upset Selina by letting her know he was missing sleep. He didn’t want to give her any teasing material either. Even though he was certain that Alfred and Helena would amuse themselves telling his wife all about how much they couldn’t stand Bruce’s moods when she wasn’t around.

He closed the file he had been failing to read for the past forty minutes, blinked his dry eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose, then, Bruce checked the JLA interface, but there was nothing urgent or addressed to him in special. There was a message from Superman, but Bruce just closed the window without reading it. Kent was decided to befriend Bruce, well, not Bruce, Batman. He was not interested. Gone was the time he believed in anyone’s that powerful good intentions.

Bruce picked his phone again, the personal one, the screen lit up showing a picture of Mary’s first birthday, she was giving the yet uncut cake a big bite, Selina laughing behind her and Alfred making a scandalized face. The frozen moment always brought a smile to Bruce’s face. He decided that he didn’t care at all if she teased him and that it was good that she knew he missed her, Bruce called his wife.

“Hi lover” her voice said when she picked up, Bruce felt his heart skip a beat and warmth spread to his body “still up?”

“Can’t sleep without you.” He heard her chuckle and he closed his eyes, imagining her, far away, she sun kissing her skin, making her eyes sparkle like glass. “What are you doing?”

“Shouldn’t be what are you wearing?” He felt himself smile and she continued. “I convinced Jason to have lunch and pack some snacks before we drive to the refugee camp, the guy from the place we rented the car said it’s six hours from here. The kid didn’t want to wait but I held my foot down because there is no way in hell I’m driving into African desert for six whole hours with a starving Jason.”

“Six hours… I don’t envy you. And what about our Jaybird, how’s he?”

“Excited, too much if you ask me. We’re waiting our orders, he went to the bathroom” she sighed, her tone changing completely “B… I’m worried he’ll get his heart broken.”

“I know. Of course you are. You love him.”

She didn’t say anything for a while, Bruce’s gripped the phone harder, wishing he could just be there.

“I wish you were here” she finally said in a small voice, reading his mind as she sometimes did.

“Then come home soon.”

“He’s back,” she said in a fake cheerful tone “he’s saying hi” he heard Jason’s voice and someone else “our food is here. I’ll talk to you later. Love you.”

“Love you.”

His voice seemed to echo in the still air of the Batcave. Bruce had never been someone to believe in superstitions, but he felt unsettled about that trip. It was an eerie feeling he couldn’t shake. But after listening to Selina’s voice he figured the most productive thing he could do now was to go to bed, his big, spacious, lonely bed.

But his thoughts about sleeping were interrupted when he reached upstairs and found Alfred asleep sitting on the couch, still in his three piece suit one hand on the handle of his cane and the other on Mary’s back as she drooled using his knees as pillow.

“Little princess, come here” Bruce whispered to the baby girl hopping she wouldn’t wake up as he scooped her from the couch and held her against his chest “Al” he whispered a little louder, “Alfred!”

“What?” the butler woke startled “I wasn’t sleeping.”

“Yeah, just resting your eyes, I know” said Bruce with fond amusement. “Go to bed, old man, this can’t be good for your back. What happened?”

Alfred sighed.

“What do you think? Miss Mary wanted her mother, I was distracting her with a story” Bruce noticed the Dr Seuss book lying on the floor, and carefully bended to pick it up before Alfred tried to do so.

“Oh… I’m sorry Alfred. You could have called me.” 

“It’s no bother; she is actually the least work from all of you. Have you had word from madam?”

“Yes, she’s fine, Jason is having a blast.”

“And when are they coming back?”

“I don’t know yet.”

“I see. Well, I’ll head to bed” Alfred said standing up using the cane as leverage. “Goodnight Master Bruce” then he took one of the sleeping baby’s hand giving it a light tug “goodnight little princess.”

Barbara Lee got a text from the last person she expected to be texting her. It was eerie and hurtful to see that the last one before that had been a silly meme that was nonsensical and unfunny from a broader point of view, but in reference to one of their oldest internal jokes, it had been hysterical. In the end that’s what made the loss of a friendship hurt the most, things that once brought you tears of laughter had to be buried and you had to pretend that it meant nothing, but the easiest way to make a memory linger was to try to forget it.

_Meet me at the park 7pm_

She got there thirty minutes later, mostly because she battled if she should go at all, what Helena had to tell her that was so urgent that couldn’t wait the next day at school? Or that she didn’t tell her when they had seen each other earlier at said place? Despite Helena being almost a year her junior they had been enrolled at school together since they were toddlers, it used to be one of the things Barbara Lee was most grateful for, nowadays it felt like a curse.

Helena was wearing her roller derby gear and getting some attention by doing dangerous acrobatics, Barbara Lee swallowed the bitter taste in her mouth, Helena never did that kind of stuff at school or close to people they knew. And it was annoying her further that Helena wasn’t stopping even though Barbara Lee knew her arrival had been noticed. So, she watched, with bored eyes and a twisting stomach, berating herself internally for doing just that instead of turning her back at the spectacle and going back home. She was about doing just that and had even walked a few steps away when Helena landed in front of her, blocking her way. She took the helmet that hid her face, more to preserve her identity than to keep her skull protected, swinging her dark curls free.

“You gave Jason, Sheila Haywood’s location” it wasn’t a question, it wasn’t even an accusation per se, it was a statement, and by the coldness of her eyes, Barbara Lee knew there was no way of denying it even if she wanted to.

“So what?” she replied defiantly.

“ _So what?_ That’s all you have to say about it?”

“What you want me to say?”

Helena’s cold demeanour dissolved.

“I don’t know Babs! I don’t know you at all anymore. But I never thought you would do something like that. Do you know the problem it created at home? Do you know what it did to mom?”

“Oh, that’s rich,” Barbara Lee scoffed “ _you_ don’t know who _I_ am anymore?”

“What that’s supposed to mean? You are the one that got weird out of the blue after breaking up with Dick despite never being _in_ a relationship with him to begin with. I did my best to not take it personally, but after a while a person get tired of being ignored. I thought it was fine, it hurt, but it was fine, and then you come for Jason too? What _should_ I think?”

“I didn’t come for anyone! He asked me for a favour! And you think this is all about Dick? Oh my god…”

“What is it about then?”

And that was it, Barbara Lee was done. And before she could stop herself she was pouring years of anxiety and grief in one messy string of questions.

“Why do you pretend you at bad at gymnastics at school? Why do you have weird bruises that you can never explain? I know your parents don’t hit you. Why you hide things?” She sobbed, tears falling hot down her cheeks, and Helena’s shocked face only made her angrier and sadder. “Why you lie so much about stupid stuff? Why you never answer my questions? And how can I keep being friends with someone that doesn’t trust me?” Barbara cleaned her face with a rough nervous gesture. “You know everything about me. I used to tell you everything. And I thought… I was stupid enough to think I deserved the same treatment.”

“Babs…”

And the guilty way she called her nickname, the pity in her hazel eyes angered Barbara Lee even further.

“I was wrong. I see it now. I thought I knew you. But I didn’t, I don’t. Jason asked me for a favour, I helped him. It had nothing to do with you. Not everything is about you, you know? Other people have their secrets too.”

And after that last bitter sentence, Barbara Lee walked away from the park, wishing that was the last time she had to leave Helena behind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I finally dabbed into the Helena vs Babs drama. Friendship drama can be more complicated than romantic relationship drama because it’s harder to discuss.
> 
> Special thanks to Google for mapping the whole planet lmao. Ethiopia seems to be a really gorgeous country.
> 
> Take care, children, and thank you so much for being the best readers anyone could ask for.


	25. Persephone - Part IV

Persephone – Part IV

They sang for the first two hours of the car trip, Jason had surprisingly a beautiful singing voice and Selina made a lot of fuss about it showering him with compliments that although honest, had their quota of teasing. He didn’t seen to mind at all, and in retribution made fun of her incapacity of holding a key and how she got every single lyric wrong at some point. Then, they squabbled over the map they bought, turns out the GPS didn’t know the way to the refugee camp, because there was no proper roads to where they were going, not really, and as they entered the dessert there was fewer and fewer places to ask directions, and then none at all. But Selina really started to let the anxiety of the whole situation consume her when the internet connection was completely lost, her hands started to itch to turn the car around. What if they were completely lost? What if they never managed to get to the damn refugee camp? What if they did get there but something awful happened? What if someone attacked them? What if they got some foreigner sickness? What if this was all a huge mistake, what if?

“There! I can see it!” exclaimed Jason excited.

“What?” asked Selina started for being dragged from her internal downward spiral.

“It’s right in front of us! You’ve gone blind?”

She turned her face from the ochre sandy landscape before her to look at Jason, his big greenish blue eyes sparkling with joy, the adorable twin curls on the top of his forehead that were a shade lighter than the rest of his hair. In that moment she decided that no matter who Sheila Haywood were and what her reasons, she would never understand the woman who abandoned that boy to his own luck.

Selina turned her face back to the road, and she saw it, the roof of the endless white tents. They found the place.

“Stop!”

She did.

“What is it kid?”

“What if she doesn’t want to see me? What it she hates me?”

“Then she’s a stupid bitch that never deserved you in the first place. Jason, look at me” she demanded quite roughly “ _I_ want you. I’ll always want you.”

He frowned, having trouble to believe her.

“You didn’t even chose me, I just happen to be kidnaped by your husband.”

She snorted.

“So what? I didn’t choose any of my other kids either. It doesn’t mean I love them any less. It doesn’t mean I love you any less” she reached for his face, caressing his temple and cheekbone. “Do you understand?”

His “yes” was quiet, embarrassed, almost a whisper, but Selina could see by his shinning eyes and dusty pink cheeks that he was pleased.

“I didn’t hear it.”

“Yes! Geez, you are so cheesy sometimes you know?”

“I’m cheesy? Me? How dare you!”

He laughed when she tickled him and then they stopped.

“Let’s go” said Selina finally, “let’s meet this Sheila Haywood.”

Despite the trouble of trying to communicate without knowing the language, it wasn’t hard to find the good Dr Sheila, everyone knew her, and she clearly was beloved by all.

“What is it?” she asked as soon as she saw Selina and Jason, her hay blonde hair cut in a practical short fashion, her white coat stained of blood. Sheila was a busy woman, Selina could see, and in she felt awkward and out of place in her rich woman’s garb, she wondered how much months of provisions her outfit could provide to the people Sheila Haywood cared for.

“Mom?” Jason blurted, and Selina felt her heart drop. A whole year living with her and not even once he called her mother, and that woman got that so easily.

Sheila made a confused face and turned to the man that brought Jason, Selina, talking to him in a foreigner language, Selina picked the word “Gotham”, and the doctor turned back to them, aghast. She locked eyes with Selina for a brief moment and then fell in one knee.

“Jason?”

The boy sobbed and ran to the stranger’s woman’s arms, holding her for dear life, Selina looked away, grief taking her heart like a spreading disease.

They went to a quieter place to talk, far from Sheila’s crying patients and the curiosity of the people.

“Do you want anything? Water? I think I still have coffee somewhere…” asked Sheila nervously going around the meagre provisions on the counter of her small makeshift kitchen.

“No need” said Selina in a dry tone “we’re fine.”

“I’m sorry, I don’t think I caught your name.”

“It’s Selina, Selina Wayne.”

Sheila’s eyebrows touched her hairline.

“Wayne? Any relation to-“

“I’m his wife” clarified Selina in a bored tone.

“Oh…”

“And Jason is our son now” added Selina messing up the boy’s hair with fondness.

“Yeah, I lucked out” he said with a smug smile. “Got adopted by some rich weirdoes.”

Selina clicked her tongue at him.

“You every bit of weird as us, kid, that’s why you fit so well.”

Sheila fell back against the counter, hand over her heart.

“I’m so relieved… Jason… My Jason, adopted by the Prince of Gotham.”

“The prince of what?” asked Jason choking with laughter.

Selina snorted.

“I forgot the press used to call him that. They give Bruce the most ridiculous nicknames.”

“But I thought he was lost?” asked Sheila confused.

“Nah, he came back” sighed Selina crossing her arms. “But we didn’t come here to talk about my husband. Jason wanted some answers. What’s your story, then?”

“Well… I was young when I met your father, Jason, Willis. It was never meant to last, I was a pre-med, he was the campus dealer... I got pregnant, and my parents said they would not pay my college fees anymore if I had you, yet I couldn’t… Well, I had you anyway, they found out, and they talked to your father, they agreed you should be with him and I’d go back to school, and we should never see each other again. You see, your father he was…”

“He was a bum, and you were some rich lady.”

“Not rich, not really, but yes, your father was… He was a dangerous man. My parents were trying to protect me, fix my wrongdoings.”

“I was that then, your wrongdoing.”

“No, no, my sweet child I never thought of you like that, never. But, as I said, I was very young, and I had no one else but your grandparents, they are gone now… I tried to look for you, but I found out that Willis had remarried and that they were raising you… There was no place for me in your life anymore so… I moved on.”

“It was good for you? Leaving me behind?”

“Jason…” warned Selina.

“No, you are right. It was good for me, I finished school, and I travelled the world. I’d never be able to do any of those things if I have stayed with you and your father… It doesn’t mean I don’t regret it. I do. There wasn’t a day in which I never thought of you or put you in my prayers. I don’t deserve your forgiveness so I won’t ask for it. But know that, I did not abandoned you willingly, and I never forgot you.”

“Jason…” said Selina softly. “I think you need a moment alone” she bended to kiss the boy’s hair. “I’ll be right back.”

She left the room before Jason could say anything. Selina felt the African heat suffocating her, and she found herself sobbing as she entered the rented car again. She wanted to hate Sheila Haywood, she thought it would be easy, a woman to abandoned her baby son, how could she not hate such person? Selina was a hundred percent sure, she would hate herself if it was her. If it was the choice she had made all those years ago, if she just have handed Helena to Alfred and left Gotham as she thought of doing so many times and then berated herself for even considering it. For the first time in a very long time Selina thought of Maria Kyle, not with burning anger and hatred but with sympathy and a deep sadness.

And what would happen now? Jason had a mother who was very much alive, who was a good person, who loved him and that could show him the world while the Wayne Clan, despite loving him too, could only offer him the cursed land that was Gotham. Bruce would never leave, she knew, she couldn’t see herself leaving either, but what if it wasn’t a vigilante life what Jason wanted for himself? What if he had brighter future helping his real mother healing the suffering of those in need? What right had Selina and Bruce to keep him from that?

She took the payphone from the glove compartment, it took a while but he picked up, she was still sobbing uncontrollably.

“Selina? Selina? What happened? Answer me?”

“B.. I-“ but she couldn’t form a coherent sentence, she could barely breathe as her chest heaved with each violent sob.

“Love you are scaring me, what happened? Was it Jason? Is he alright?”

She tried to calm herself, and swallowed big gulps of hair.

“He’s fine, we’re fine I just…” she took another deep ragged breath “I shouldn’t have come. I think… I think we lost our boy.”

“Selina… Cat… I shouldn’t let you go alone. I’m going to get you.”

A nervous bubble of laughter escaped her in between her tears.

“Don’t be stupid, you can’t leave, and Helena will want to come too. Alfred is old, he can’t care for Mary and Gotham all alone.”

“Jim can take care of Gotham for a while, and I can ask Holly or Barbara to help Alfred. Although he will be very offended if I tell him what you just said.”

“He can bite me.”

“I see you are more calm now. Trash talking Alfred still relaxes you.

“How’s he?” she sniffled.

“He’s fine. He has been distracting Mary by teaching her to bake.”

“Teaching her to bake? Mary is one.”

“Exactly.”

“Poor Jeeves… Demented already. Take pictures.”

“Of course” and she could almost hear his little smile.

“And is she behaving herself? What about Helena?”

“They are both fine. Mary cries sometimes asking for you and Jason, but we’ve been able to distract her, she said a new word.”

“Yeah? What was it?”

“Red.”

“Oh… Colours already.”

“I know, she’s brilliant. Helena is fine too, she’s training downstairs and I didn’t even have to tell her too. She’s maturing, our princess. Do you want me to go fetch her?”

“No… Not now. Later I’ll…” she made a pause lowering the visor to look herself at the mirror, she was a mess “later I’ll call her, and Dick. Have you talked to him? Or Holly?”

“Yes, they are both fine. Cat, you just need to say a word and I’ll be there in seconds. I’ll use the teletransport from the JLA. I don’t care.”

She saw her mirror image smile at that, her chest grew warmer.

“Hold your horses, big boy. I’m fine, I promise. And if Jason decides he wants to stay… Well… You can kidnap me another orphan.”

“I did not kidnap him.”

She chuckled.

“I love you so much” and she meant it.

“I love you too, Cat.”

She rubbed the screen of the phone after hanging up and decided she was not ready to face the happy reunited mother and son duo yet. Selina used the mirror to fix her ruined face and then locked the car again, walking mindlessly. Walking was good, it was one of her favourite ways to relive tension, that and fighting with Bruce, fights that were basically foreplay, but despite his vow of coming if she just called, there was no real need. She, Selina reminded herself, was not Sheila Haywood, nor she was the pregnant girl she had been fourteen years ago. The memories trigged some old repressed grief she didn’t know she was still carrying, but she found solace in knowing that everything had worked out for her, for her children, far better than she ever expected or dared to dream of.

Curious people looked at her as she wandered, adults were suspicious, but the kids seemed enchanted by her, and she smiled at them and played with them. None of them could understand what she was saying and neither could Selina pick meaning from their language, but they understood each other by body language and mime, one little girl seemed really impressed by her glasses and Selina gave it to her. She was so distracted by the children that she almost didn’t noticed the voices coming from the tent behind her, it was clear English, and the words she heard made her heart stop.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You see that I twerked Sheila’s story a little bit because the whole abortion doctor thing was plain stupid. I don’t even get why they put that in the story, Roe vs Wade had been a thing for a while by 1988. Anyway… I tried to made her medical degree make more sense too and her reasons to give Jason up.
> 
> Selina had another crying fit, this journey of Jason’s has been hard on her. I really like the Maria Kyle arc in the show and I wish they went a little deeper. This time though, Bruce will not make the same mistakes because he has grown a lot. (I don’t believe the show handled his actions badly to be fair, Bruce was beloved by his parents, he had no idea at all of what a second rejection/betrayal would do to Selina, most grown people have hard time understanding how knowing you are not beloved by your parents hurts).
> 
> But I’ve babbled enough. I’ll see you soon, take care.


	26. Persephone - Part V

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Content Warning: This chapter contains really upsetting descriptive scenes of violence. Please proceed with caution.

Persephone – Part V

“Why are you dressed like that?” asked Jason when she came back to Sheila’s tent wearing her Catwoman garb.

“The Joker is here, I need you to stay put while I deal with it.”

Excitement mixed with confusion took over his face.

“The Joker? Here? Doing what? Why?”

“I don’t know why kid, I bet not even he knows why he does the shit he does anyway, the worms ate his brains ages ago. Anyway, I heard he’s shipping explosive gas to the other refugee camp, Malkadida I think it’s how you say it. It’s not far, I have to get there first and stop it, I’ll leave the car for you, Bruce made me bring a batglider for emergencies.”

“I’ll go with you, I packed a suit too.”

“No, no way. You’ll stay here, with Sheila, and call you father if don’t come back.”

“Selina no-“

She held his face locking eyes with him.

“Obey, kid, please, just listen to me. I have to help, if that thing explodes a lot of innocent people will die.” She sighed, her hands slid off his face and she fixed something on her belt avoiding his eyes “Jeremiah, the Joker, he’s just alive because I failed killing him years ago. A while ago tried to hurt Babs and I did nothing” the last word came with deep bitterness. “He’ll not hurt these people, I won’t let him. But I can’t put you in danger. He’s not like Ivy or Oswald. He doesn’t care that you are a kid. Promise you’ll be here?”

He held her gaze, hard expression in his young face.

“Okay, fine.”

“Thank you” she smiled and touched his face again, resting her forehead against his for a moment and then kissed it “I’ll be back soon.”

Jason watched her go, whip wrapped around her waist, her curly hair disappeared behind the cowl, he thought about little Mary, and Helena and Bruce, even Dick and Holly and Alfred. Selina was loved by so many and yet she had come so far away from them just to help him. And now she would risk her life to help some strangers, because of him, because he had brought her here. He had promised her he would stay put, but how could he? What he’d say to Bruce? To Dick? He was Robin, he had work to do.

He ran out of the tent when Selina was far enough to not see him, and suited up. Then, he hurried back to Sheila’s tent. When Selina left, they talked, she was better than everything he have ever dreamed, she was smart and witty, she had the same eyes he saw in the mirror. He had no idea how such woman had any relations to Willis Todd, and found out it was easy to forgive her for leaving. He told her of Catherine Todd, and how he had loved her until it became hard to do so. And Sheila had cried and cursed herself for what she had condemned Jason to. Jason said it was fine, that it was past, and that it didn’t matter anymore.

She asked about the Waynes and his new life and he had told her stories about Alfred, and little Mary, Helena and Dick, his family. And as he talked he realised just that, that they were his family. That if he was bound by Sheila by blood, what linked him to his newfound family was more important than that, and that Selina was silly for worrying so much. Meeting Sheila healed the last of his wounds from the past, and now he had no reason to look back anymore. He could finally dream about the future.

“Bruce?! Someone! Pick up!” shouted Selina while she was already flying, service had miraculously returned to their private line.

“Madam, is everything alright?” She heard Alfred answer and her heart filled with a weird mix of relief and frustration.

“Where’s Bruce?”

“Upstairs, sleeping.”

Selina winced.

“Oh, damn the time zones.”

“Why are you using this line? Is there an emergency? Where’s Master Jason?”

“Yes, he’s fine. Safe. Alfred, the Joker is here. He’ll blow up the Malkadidan camp. I’m trying to stop him.”

“Alone? This is madness, I’ll fetch Master Bruce right now. Don’t do anything.”

She thought of hearing that as a teenager and being instantly filled with spite, but now she was unable to stop her own smile.

“Don’t do anything? You’ve really gone demented old man?”

“Madam, it’s too dangerous!”

He sounded so worried, poor Jeeves, they’d stop his heart one of those days. Not that she would ever let him know that she cared.

“My whole life has been too dangerous. I don’t know why I’m wasting breath with you. Tell Bruce what’s happening. Catwoman out.”

“Jason? Why are you dressed like that?”

He found Sheila smoking just outside her tent, he blushed when she looked at him in his Robin uniform, puffing his chest slightly.

“Hey mom, that’s something I didn’t tell you… About what I do now. Look, something happened, a mad man is here, he’s going to blow up the other refugee camp, I’ve got to help stop it. I just came to say that I’m happy we met, and that you should give me a call if you ever come back to Gotham.”

“So… you’re leaving?” She took a long drag and blew the smelly smoke.

“Yeah, I kinda have to. But it was nice to finally meet you.”

“I see…” she finished smoking and stepped on the stub. “Jason, before you go I need to show you something.”

“Alright. But it has to be fast, I’m kinda in a hurry.”

Her smile was tight.

“It will only take a second.”

Sheila took Jason by the wrist, if he wasn’t wearing his Robin gloves it would certainly make bruises, but he didn’t want to say anything, Jason didn’t want to ruin their goodbye, and he was curious to find out what she was so anxious to show him. She was taking him to one of the few real buildings, it stood far from the tents.

“This is taking too long, I have to go, the Joker-“

“He’s far gone. Come on in.”

It was dark inside when they entered, but when the lights were turned on, the first thing Jason saw was the gun pointing at him, and the man holding it was the murderous clown himself.

“What’s happening?” Jason asked confused.

Sheila appeared behind the joker.

“You trusted the wrong person, kid” her voice sounded cold.

“But why? Why are you doing this?”

The Joker let out a sick laugh rejoicing in Jason’s distress.

“Mommy dearest has been naughty, little birdie, she’s been stealing from the medical funds haven’t you Sheilie?”

“And I cannot afford anyone stirring up trouble, bringing investigators here. I do good work here, Jason, despite what you may think. I take care of this people, a job most rather not do. I can’t let you ruin it.”

He never felt so much rage before, his whole body was shaking.

“You are the one ruining it! He’s going to bomb the other refugee camp!”

“And their resources will be transferred to us.”

“So you can steal some more? I totally can see now what Willis saw in you, you are a sicko too!”

“Tsk, tsk, tsk. That’s not the way to talk to you mother, boy blunder, haven’t bats and kitty taught you good manners at all? I think you need a lesson.”

And maybe it was because Jason was so stunned by the whole situation, but he didn’t move fast enough when the Joker used the gun to hit him across the face. The impact was so strong that Jason flew across the room. He heard the cartilage of his nose crack and the pain took over dulling all his other senses, for a moment all he could hear, see or touch, everything was pain. But Jason knew that if he wanted to have a chance to survive he couldn’t lose control like that. He scrambled in his feet trying to stand, he had to get out of there. Dick had warned him of the Joker, more so than Bruce and Selina. He said the Joker that a thing for Robin, and that would be something Jason would have to deal with when he took the mantle. Dick made Jason promise that if he ever faced the Joker alone he shouldn’t try to be brave, he should ran, fast.

But Jason never expected to be trapped like that, and as soon as he was in his feet again, came the second blow.

“Selina report” Bruce’s voice broke the low static.

“Can’t, busy.” She managed to intercept the truck halfway to Malkadida. She landed on the roof of the semi-trailer and crawled to the cabin. She was not expected so it was easy to take the guy out and control the truck. Too easy. For one he was alone when she expected the Joker and his goons. She called Bruce again when she had already jumped off the truck and was about to see the cargo. “B. There’s something wrong.”

“What is it?”

“There’s no explosives at the truck, it’s all normal boxes of provisions… I don’t understand.”

“Selina, you need to go back now” he sounded urgent, even fearful, her stomach dropped. If Bruce was afraid…

“I came flying in that stupid glider of yours,” she continued as if he hadn’t said anything “if there was an invisible truck I’d see it.”

“And the Joker?”

“He’s not here. No goons, nothing.”

“Where’s Jason?”

“With his mother” and the words became sour in her mouth as soon as they left.

“Selina, you need to go back. You were tricked. The truck with explosives never left the other refugee camp. You need to go back. _Now_.”

Jason had been dozing on his favourite sofa, a book open on his face, protecting his eyes from the light coming from the window, it was a rare sunny day in Gotham, he woke up to the gentle sound of typing. Bruce, he thought, working as usual, he felt the warm weight of Isis’ curled on his belly, he blindly reached for her, threading his fingers in her fur, she was so soft.

“Jason, can you- oh” it was Selina, but she stopped midsentence “look at this B, two sleepy kittens.”

Jason heard the typing stop. And Bruce said something, but he couldn’t hear them anymore.

“I think he’s dead, boss” the goon’s voice sounded far away, belonging to a reality Jason was not part of anymore. He was beyond pain now, had been for a while after an special violent blow against his back when he dared to put himself on his feet, he haven’t tried since, it felt like hours ago.

Conscience was fleeting and some part of his brain still knew that should scare him. Playing dead was the go for trick in situations like that. And this wasn’t the first time Jason had been beaten pretty badly. A good beating used to be expected at least once a week every time they dragged him back to the orphanage and even before that.

He could remember his mother crying to make Willis stop, the smell of booze, Jason learned that playing dead was the only thing he could do prevent it from really happening. But there’s a difference between pretending and really blacking out. But it was hard, trying to stay awake now. The Joker was not Willis Todd. Willis got tired, scared even when Jason was quiet for too long. The Joker laughed and laughed, promising that he could go on forever. And Sheila did not cry like his mother Catherine, before both of his eyes became definitively shut under the swelling, Jason saw that she lit another cigarette. 

“You have a point, Jo, I haven’t seen him move for a while… Worrisome. Let the good doctor see him,” said the Joker “give him his declaration of death, very fitting when she was also the one to give birth to him” and he cackled finding himself hilariously witty.

Jason felt someone approaching him, grabbing his face, he wondered what he looked like now, barely human probably, hair matted with blood, purple blobs for eyes, smashed nose and no remaining front teeth. A face only a mother could love, but it had been his mother who made him become like that.

The stupid glider would not start. Selina screamed in frustration and threw the thing as far as she could. She then went back to the truck, the driver was still asleep, she pulled him to the passenger sit, and sat back at the now vacant driver’s sit noticing she had never driven a truck before, but how hard could it be? Her heart was beating so fast as she drove back to Kobe that her chest was actually hurting. What if the Joker exploded that refugee camp? What if someone had seen her listening and told him? Bruce said she was tricked. She had been so stupid and now a lot of people would die because of her. Including her son. She pressed the gas pedal with the determination only despair could create, she had to get there in time.

Her legs were shaking when she reached the refugee camp and there was no signal of explosion anywhere. Everything seemed fine. She screamed Jason’s name, called for Sheila, tried to ask the locals where they were but they seemed confused by her weird clothing and deranged mental state, they were trying to make her sit and calm herself, but Selina knew she had no time for that. She untangled herself from the strangers and ran to where she had last seen Jason, on Sheila’s tent, but the place was empty. Selina went back to the car and found it unlocked but there were no signs of forced entry or anything stolen.

It was becoming hard to breathe, she needed to find them. She tried to talk with the locals again, asking for Sheila and they finally pointed to a building far from the tents where they kept the supplied, she bolted in the pointed direction, feeling a little more calmer, if Sheila was there, so was Jason, and they were both safe, it would be fine. She had not seen sign of the Joker or any explosive, maybe she head it wrong, maybe she had been so distressed by the idea of Jason leaving their family that she needed something to distract her and created that whole situation.

Sheila was screaming now and banging the door, then she stopped and was next to him. It was hard to make up the words she was saying, but he picked up “bomb” and “locked”.

So… That was how it ended for him. He thought he’d be angry but he found out he wasn’t, in the end he had a longer run than it was expected. Far more luck than he should have. Stealing the Batmobile’s tires. If breathing with a collapsed lung wasn’t so hard he would have laughed.

Sheila was still screaming, couldn’t she just shut up? He wanted to remember what Selina’s voice was like when she was singing so badly with him in the car, and Mary’s baby giggles when he made a funny face, hell he wanted even to remember how Helena sounded like. He had been unfair to her, but he hoped that his envy and jealousy weren’t the only things she’d remember of him. He finds himself trying to control his sobs, he didn’t want to cry, his eyes were so swollen to allow the passage of tears.

“Oh my god! You’re still alive! He put a bomb here and locked the door. What do I do?”

Jason wanted to tell her exactly how to pick a lock or disarm a bomb, he also wanted to tell her to go to hell, but turns out he wasn’t able to do either. Now he was angry again. He didn’t want to die with her, it was bad enough that he was dying because of her. He tried to calm himself, recalling Bruce’s meditation lessons, his deep voice guiding him, making him feel like everything was exactly how it should be, that everything was alright. That’s how he wanted to go. Not listening to Sheila’s sobs, not suffocating in his own anger, but peaceful and dignified, how Bruce looked to him.

And then he heard a loud sound, but it was no explosion.

Selina kicked the door open and bile rose as soon as she locked eyes in the bloody mass that had been her youngest son, only nine years old, on the floor. She ignored Sheila as she screamed and begged. Had being Bruce in her place, he would have unbound her, freed her first. He’d have been cool, collected, perfect. Selina was not Bruce. She walked towards her son, she fell on her knees when she saw the odd angles of his broken members were arranged, a wail crawled out her chest when she saw what used to be his face. She was afraid to touch him, but she wanted to gather his shattered pieces in her arms, and hold him, and never ever ever let go again.

“M.. om?”

“Yes kitten” she sobbed using shaky hands to put his head on her lap “I’mhereI’mhereI’mhere-“

He let out a ragged pant and his bloody mouth moved to say something, she wanted to tell him to don’t say anything, she wanted to tell him his father was coming, that he would be fine they would all be alright that he just had to be a strong for a little longer, but she couldn’t, she just couldn’t. Her throat had closed and she feared she would never be able to speak again.

“Bomb.”

Selina looked around her and saw it, they had less than five seconds remaining. She didn’t think. She took Jason in her arms and ran.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WILL ROBIN SURVIVE????? CALL 555
> 
> Just kidding, I’ll do whatever I want and you can’t do anything to stop me.
> 
> Fun fact you can say the words “mom” and “bomb” without your front teeth because, /b/ and /m/ are plosive sounds that only require the lips. Yeah, that’s totally an information you care about after reading this chapter.
> 
> See you next week.
> 
> I’m taking fluff prompts for missing scenes in this universe you can send me them on your comment or through tumblr username pandoraimperatrix. My advice is you send as much as you want because this story is a downward spiral from now on.


	27. Persephone – Part VI

She dreams about him constantly.

How she screamed that her son was dead until her throat went raw, she wasn’t able to talk for days afterwards, nor she wanted to. It felt like forever and just a few seconds and then Bruce was there. He wanted to take Jason away and she fought him, he has a whole new scar from her now, it splits his face in two. She knows she should feel ashamed and guilty, but there is no space in her heart for anything but grief. Then came the words “he’s still alive” and Selina passed out or he drugged her, she can’t remember, she doesn’t care. When she woke up they were in American territory again, between white walls of Leslie’s clinic, an IV piercing her arm. He was there with her, Bruce, with the thin line crossing his face, he looked old, she might have tried to get up, fought her way out of the room, he might held her down, a nurse injected something in her, she might just imagined it all, either way, the world dropped dead again.

They said Mary had cried bloody murder when the milk she had pumped before going to Africa ended, nothing could comfort her, they called Barbara, and then Lee came, Alfred tried all he could, but she just got a little better when called Holly home. She interrupted her master’s degree to be with her baby sister, the child would only sleep in her bed. Selina had been trying to wean her since she reached her first birthday with little success, but when she woke up for good she found her breasts were dry. She didn’t want to hold her baby, she didn’t think she deserved it, she wanted Jason, she wanted it would have been her, beat to a bloody pulp on foreign soil. He was just nine years old goddammit! In what kind of sick mad world such horror was allowed to happen?

People came from time to time to her room. She woke up a few times to find Helena holding her hand and crying softly. What she was crying about? She never even liked Jason. And then another wave of guilt and self-hatred took her over for her thoughts and behaviour, but she couldn’t move. She felt like everything she did was a disaster.

Then came the day Alfred appeared looking done with her bullshit, being stern and borderline rude to her, like he used to be eons ago, before he loved her, she takes the abuse, she deserves it. Leslie was with him and they threaten to insert a probe inside her nose if she didn’t eat, so she took a few spoons, swallowing hard without tasting just so they would leave her alone. For a moment it looked like he’ll say something, hell, for a moment of horror she thought Alfred would cry, but he just leaves, the tray wobbling in his shaking hands. Lee gives her something to sleep without asking, Selina is grateful.

And there was also Bruce, he’d stand next to her bed saying nothing, and she’d pretend to be asleep. How could she even face him?

The dreams about Jason are constant, sometimes they are mixed with memories, old jokes he told her, sometimes ridiculous situations. Sometimes she goes back in time and say no, they will not look for some strange woman in Africa. In those dreams he grows up bitter and never talks to her again but he does grow up, never to be beaten by no psychopathic clown, and those are the good dreams.

Bruce has no idea of how he is still functioning. His days are a blur of disconnected actions, that he doesn’t dare to think so much about because he fears he’ll crash if he face reality. Wake up, feed, see if the baby is still alive, check on Helena, try to focus on whatever Alfred says, fails, go to the hospital, son still fighting for his life, but stable, wife still ignoring him, patrol, cave, sleep, do it all over again.

“Hey, are you listening? Are you even there at all? You know I read on a forum the other day that you are just a hollow suit, animated by the souls of everybody that died in this city. I’m starting to think that’s true.”

Batgirl’s voice sound weird, out of place, Gotham is cold and rainy, doing her worst to make the night as miserable as she can. Batgirl’s lively, young girlish voice feels wrong, like it doesn’t belong. The Batman turns his eyes to her, she won’t notice it behind the white lenses, to her he never moved. She still has lots to learn. But should her? Bruce knows who she is, she covered her tracks well, but Gotham is his city and there is nothing she can hide from him for too long.

When he found out his first thought was to tell Jim, but he knew his old friend’s reaction would be try to stop her, and he also know that would not only not work, but also make her more vulnerable, so, he took her under his cape. Trained her, gave her better weapons, better gear to protect herself, and she had been a dedicated student. Bruce knew she was bright, Helena used to gush about her all the time, and Dick, and Selina, even Alfred, but they all loved the girl, now he could see for himself she could say that he was very impressed.

He never thought he would enjoy teaching young minds as much as he found himself enjoying as children started to accumulate. The only person of his age he really liked growing up had been Selina, and that had been a very special case. Helena, Dick, Barbara, Jason, and even little Mary that barely talked were so different from the children he had met when he was himself a child. They were bright, witty and it gave him great satisfaction to help them to reach their potentials.

But after what happened to Jason he wasn’t so sure if what he was doing was good or right. Dick had been shot because of him. Barbara even before she started her vigilant career had been kidnapped by the Joker because of him. And now Jason… He had to do something different, he couldn’t continue doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.

Batgirl needed to be no more.

“Go home, patrol’s over.”

“What? We just got here!”

“Go. Home. And I’ll know if you disobey.”

He hides to make sure she’s do what he told her, ignoring the tantrum she throws, if it was any other night before his life went to hell, it would almost be funny. Most of the time Barbara Lee is a happy girl with an acid sense of humour, but when she’s angry Bruce can see how scary a child sired by Barbara Kean, James Gordon and Leslie Thompkins can be, and he’s almost sorry for anyone that cross her. He finishes the patrol then, but instead of going back home, he returns to the hospital.

Jason is still in induced coma. He’s stable now, healing, the swelling in his face is almost totally gone after two weeks. But not much of the handsome boy remained. His mouth has a weird shape without the front teeth. The broken nose would go through corrective plastic surgery after he was strong enough but now it was still smashed to one side. Bruce biggest worry had been Jason’s eyes, but Lee told him that the swelling had protected them from most damage. Cosmetic damage aside, all his ribs had been broken, and one lung collapsed, they tried to save it, but it was too late. The concussions had been many but it was torture to try to wake him up now, they didn’t even know if he would even be able to do it at all.

He wishes he could take Jason’s hand in his but all four of his members are in casts. Bruce’s breaths hitches, and he takes off his cowl as the pooling of tears start making it hard to keep it on. He’d never do that before, even though Lee’s clinic was a safe space. But he couldn’t care less right now.

He leaves Jason’s room and walk across the corridor to Selina’s. To his surprise she’s not sleeping. She’s sitting, holding her knees against her chest. She looks so small and forlorn. She does not turn to look when he enters, but she knows it’s him. Grief and anger burn inside Bruce and he finally speaks.

“Don’t you think I failed him too?” he waits for a reaction but all she does is close her eyes shut, and the angers grows. “Don’t you think I wished I could just drop everything and cry in bed about everything that happened? He is my son too, Selina” at this point she should answer back with her own anger.

He’s taken back to their worst fight, so many years ago, at a hospital, the scenery so familiar, and equally terrifying. He remembers lashing out just like that, breaking up their bond before someone could use it to hurt him like they did to his bond with Alfred. It isn’t something planned or well thought, he didn’t even know that’s what he was doing back then, it’s a conclusion he reaches way after, when he’s trying to understand how to fix it, how to make her forgive him. When he realizes that he loved her, he was so young back then, and that have been a fixed point in his heart, something that he can’t change. It’s beyond his control.

But if he was in the wrong back then, if he was being naïve and stupid thinking he could just stop his heart from loving her to protect himself from further damage, now he feels his anger justified and the betrayal takes away the floor under his feet. She should be answering, if he’s wrong she should be telling him. Selina was never the silent type, she would explain to him exactly what his wrongdoing was and demand him to be better. He felt like she was giving up on him, giving up on them, and he couldn’t bear it. He would not have it.

“I never really thought I’d go through something like this again, god… I forced myself to leave you and and lost Helena’s first ten years so I wouldn’t… And there isn’t a day I don’t regret it. But here we are. You are always complaining I do everything alone, that I don’t share enough, I don’t want to be alone right now, Selina, please… _I want my wife_.”

Bruce felt despair consume him when she still didn’t move, and then… He heard her crying, it started small and then she was letting out heart freezing wails, Bruce couldn’t move his feet, he never saw she crying like that, not even when he found her hold Jason’s battered body, he just watched, his own tears flowing freely as she cried. Was that how they would end? Two broken people crying like children, powerless and unfit to deal with life? Had the two of them been living a lie all this time? Some other couple’s life in which there was joy and normalcy, the things they had to fight so hard to get and that other people just took for granted? Was the universe throwing all their delusions at their face and putting them back where they truly belonged? Bruce didn’t want to believe in any of that. Most of his work was making people lost to their delusions of despair to doubt. To hope for a better tomorrow.

And then a miracle happened, Selina turned her face to him, stretching her arm in his direction. He didn’t even think, he just went to her gathering her in his arms, holding her strongly against his body, so grateful for her sobs, her ragged breaths, her hot tears, her fast beating heart. She was alive, she was with him, he could now too, hope for a better tomorrow. She kissed his scar, it was healed now, the white line almost invisible, but he knew she could see it, that she couldn’t forgive it.

“Take me home” those words felt like a religious experience, the tension was gone, and all that reined was grief.

He woke up from the soft tapping on his bedroom’s door.

Selina didn’t even stir, she promised to talk to him later, but now she just wanted to sleep in their bed, with him by her side, she was finally ready to take that small piece of normalcy back, even though she didn’t deserve it. Bruce wanted to debate that, ask what she meant, but feeling guilty for what he said earlier at the hospital, he just nodded, and handed her the glass of water as she took her sleeping pills.

“Alfred?” he called out “what is it?”

“Daddy… Can we come in?”

Bruce let out the breath he didn’t know he was holding. Maybe the tension wasn’t entirely gone, he was still afraid.

“Of course,” he managed.

Helena entered closing the door behind her. She was still a child, he couldn’t help but notice, petite like her mother, but the sad pale face reminded him of his own when he was young. Her curly dark hair was going everywhere, and climbed on her hip was her little sister, Mary, with her own messy curls, chubby cheek rested on her big sister’s shoulders, big blue eyes open and looking at him, little thumb in her mouth.

Bruce tried to smile at the scene they made, but it was so hard, like his muscles had forgotten how.

“What is it, baby?” he asked.

“I… I saw mom is back. Can we… Can we sleep with you guys?”

Bruce didn’t know his heart could break even further. He uncovered himself, and created space between him and his sleeping wife that, besides her rhythmically breathing, haven’t moved.

Helena approached the bed and handed Mary to her father, the baby fussed and began to cry and babble nonsense, she was like that now, everything made her cry. Bruce held her against his chest comforting her, soon she was sucking her thumb again as he rubbed her back. Helena had climbed over him and buried herself close to her mother.

“Is she okay?” Helena asked, hands clasped next to her chin, Bruce caressed her cheek with the back of his fingers.

“Are any of us?”

“Oh daddy” she choked, hazel eyes feeling up with tears, Bruce wanted to kick himself.

“Princess don’t cry” he begged “I’m sorry. We will be okay, we have each other, don’t we?”

“Yeah” she wiped her tears sniffling.

“Let’s go to sleep” he slid until he was lying down again, Mary draped on his chest like a baby monkey, he was used of her sleeping like that, so he didn’t mind. “Good night, princess.”

“Good night, daddy.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, that was the aftermath. And I was SO MUCH NICER than I should. All this niceness will only create problems for me.
> 
> And because people keep asking: Barbara Lee does not know about the Wayne’s secret identities. That’s why she didn’t want to date Dick and why her relationship with Helena is not good right now. Because the two of them constantly omitted and lied to her face and that’s not how you treat your friends. She’s Babs, she’s smart, so of course she’s suspicious, but they never came clean with her.
> 
> And yes, Bruce is the one mentoring her, she’s a kid fighting crime, he’s Bruce, you all know how that goes.
> 
> About questions regarding Helena’s love life or even Jason’s (Jesus he’s nine). I have zero plans of giving the kids romantic plots, not with each other, not with other people. Dick gets to date Kory only because I’m a hardcore DickKory shipper and even so I’ll not spend more time with that, I might mention it once or twice, but the romance in this story is between Bruce and Selina, not their kids.
> 
> One more thing, I’ll be posting ficlets in this universe randomly, subscribe to me or the Four Names verse page on AO3 so you won’t miss them.
> 
> I’ll see you soon! 


	28. Persephone - Part VII

As Selina had promised Bruce, they sat and talked. She was grateful he waited until she woke up naturally, though, it was way past afternoon, and Alfred brought her food, he had a stiff face as he served her chicken soup, but she saw the relief relax his whole body language, when she ate the whole thing. Next day, she might even thank him.

She decided to take a shower after that, how nice was to be in her own home and her own bathroom, she wished she could just wash away all the last days with the hospital smell. She wanted to be the woman who left the shampoo bottle’s lip open although it drove her husband crazy, but when she cleaned the mist from the mirror, she saw someone else. Not a stranger, just someone she thought she’d never see again.

When she came out from the shower, she found him sitting on their bed, he looked a little better than yesterday, he had shaved, he was undoing his shirt’s buttons when she entered and tried to smile at her. She sighed and sat beside him. She couldn’t believe how emotionlessly the words came out, it was like she hadn’t be there. Maybe it was the dreams. Reliving it so many times must have dulled the blow. Selina couldn’t have that. What use could she make of a blunt weapon? There was a reason why even Bruce never underestimated her sharp claws.

His frown turned more wrinkled as her story progressed, of course he knew the facts already, but it was the first time they were actually talking about it.

“You didn’t know there was a bomb...”

“No.”

“You said Sheila was there, conscientious, she didn’t tell you?”

“I didn’t hear what she was saying. I didn’t care.”

“Why?”

It was the first time since the beginning of her tale that she felt something. Anger burned through her veins like heroin, after so many days of sorrow freezing her in one single place, one single moment, anger set her moving again, it ignited her. She stood up from the bed, she was still in her dressing gown, and didn’t care the slightest at how she should be looking like to him at that moment.

“Because” Selina said, though her teeth “I thought my son was dead.”

Bruce exhaled tiredly, and pinched the bridge of his nose.

“Selina I’m not antagonizing you, I just want to understand. What happened next?”

She looked at him through narrowed eyes. 

“Jason told me about the bomb.”

His face lit up with surprise disarming her a little.

“He talked to you?”

Selina’s eyes trembled shut for a second, the words that came next had to crawl through her clenched throat.

“He said mom” she swallowed “and bomb.”

“Oh... Mom meaning Sheila...”

That set her off again.

“No. Meaning me. _I’m_ his mother.”

“What...? Selina... I’m not…” he looked the embodiment of frustration, but she didn’t care. “Look, you’ve been taking heavy medication the last few days, let’s finish this conversation later.”

“Really? Why don’t you wait for my menopause, Bruce, so you won’t have to wonder if I’m emotional because of my fucking period too.”

He closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath.

“I’ll not continue this conversation if you’ll be like that” the calm in his voice was the last drop for her.

“I don’t think I’ll continue this marriage if you’ll patronize me like that” she spat back.

Bruce’s controlled patience broke in a mask of hurt. For a moment she thought he would say something, he stood up too, and walked past her, leaving their room and disappearing in the corridor.

When Selina found out the sound of heavy breathing she had been hearing was her own, she let herself fall back on the bed, she closed her eyes letting the guilt sink in deeply. She grabbed his pillow, pressing her face against it so hard it became hard to breath, she would lose Bruce too, she’d lose everything. And this time she couldn’t blame cruel destiny, it was all her own doing.

Helena pushed the door of Dick’s old room open. The air was still and it smelled more of anti-mould products than the horrible cologne she used to make fun of him for using. She missed her brother. She missed the life they had. It felt such a long time ago since everything was alright, when the worst of her troubles was trying to convince her parents to let her be a masked vigilante.

She glided her fingers through the edges of the shelves where Dick’s prizes were still waiting for his return. The three framed pictures side by side, the first one, Dick and his parents, he was still a baby in that one, but he was already wearing the bright circus costume, his parents smiling brightly, proud of their rosy cheeked son. The second one was the “trio” sitting on the grass, they didn’t know they were being photographed, Helena didn’t even remember that specific day, it was so mundane having Barbara Lee’s and Dick’s company on her day to day life, she should have never taken that for granted. And the last one was of their parents’ wedding. Her father hugging her mother in her black and white dress, a hand over her baby bump, Alfred standing by her mother’s other side with puffy eyes, Dick and Helena herself standing in the front, bright smiles on their faces.

Helena took that last picture from the shelf, looking at it with longing, and then put it back. She walked around the room, until she reached the window, opening it. It was one of the rare sunny days Gotham sometimes conceded. It felt out of the place. In movies, it always rained when you are miserable. Helena raised her eyes to the blinding blue skies. Dick was off-world, she knew, Kory has been kidnaped by her evil older sister or something. His message reached them before Jason… Before he… She couldn’t finish the thought. A ragged breath shook her upper body, and she tried to swallow the tears. Crying wouldn’t help anyone.

Later that day, when she was gearing up to patrol, something she haven’t been doing in two weeks, she was interrupted by Alfred.

“What in the name of reason are you doing?” he asked looking very angry.

Helena blinked confused.

“What you mean?”

“Have you learnt nothing? And why haven’t you father locked this suicide weapons up?” he grabbed her crossbow, stuffing it back inside the vault and locking it.

“Alfred what are you doing?”

“What indeed? That’s a very good question, miss! What have I been doing for the past three decades? I cannot even pretend to know. Since Master Thomas and Mistress Martha died I have tried my best to do this family right. But I have to admit that my best is rubbish. That I must be absurdly incompetent.”

“Alfred… no…” Helena tried to stop him, but he raised his index finger for her to stop.

“No, I say, miss, it pains me immensely to say it, but I raised an irresponsible suicidal man. I let him marry your mother who isn’t much better, and now, every other day, this family has to pray for the life of a child put in danger by the very same people that should be protecting them. I am done. I will not tolerate any further.”

Helena picked her mask from the table, and looked at it.

“I agree with you” she said in a tiny voice, her fingers gripping the edges of the mask so hard they became white.

“Pardon?”

“I…” she exhaled hard “I don’t think I want to be Catgirl anymore, Alfie. I mean... What’s the point?” she lift her eyes back to him, one stubborn tear slid down her cheek and she promptly wiped it. “We say we do this to protect people, but… Are we really? We’ll not end crime doing this. Wayne Foundation does more than we’ll ever do. We might save some, but we lost so much… And who is protecting us? Who was protecting Jason?”

Alfred found himself unable to talk. He was ashamed of the breakdown he had submitted her too, and instead off falling apart, the child was demonstrating more integrity and nuance than the whole Wayne clan together in a good day could muster.

“But dad doesn’t think like that” she continued, forcing a smile. “I don’t think he ever will. Mom is even worse… She’ll make up the most ludicrous excuses to be Catwoman, because that’s who she is, what she has been all her life. So… that’s why I have to go there. I have to be Catgirl. To protect him… and mom. They need me.”

He let go of his cane and took his shaking old hands to her face.

“My precious child, that is not your job-“

“I’m making it my job. I have to. No. I chose to. I could be here with you, Mary and Holly. In some ways it would be easier… I thought so much about it, about how doing this can be pointless” she gently forced his hands off her face, but still hold to them for a moment.

“I mean, I tell myself that I want to protect them, but it’s such a silly notion, dad _is the Batman_ , and mom’s superpower is surviving, and me? All my hardest experiences are second-hand. But I just can’t… I can’t be here and do nothing.”

She let his hands go and picked the mask from the table again, putting it on her face, starring ahead with purpose in her eyes.

“I’ll go, I’ll be Catgirl even if all I get from it is to bear witness to their destruction as I vainly try to prevent it” and then Helena cracked the bright smile she was famous for, becoming once more his child and not the Hero. “God I sound so dramatic…”

“You are indeed your father’s daughter” Alfred managed to say, his voice heavy with pride and sorrow.

“I’ll take that as a compliment.”

“It is…” he paused “at times. Be careful.”

“I always am.”

He raised an eyebrow.

“A lady should not tell lies.”

She hugged him.

“I love you, Alfie.” 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter should be longer, but I kinda want to be done with it, because I’m having the most painful period cramps in a very long time and I need to sleep it off.
> 
> Honestly I have no idea of how many chapters this story will have really, I’m aiming for less than 40.


	29. Persephone - Part VIII

A month goes by. He does not wake. Anxiety grows inside Selina like cancer, and her resentment floods her entire body, until it starts leaking, the miasma tainting everything around, first it’s Bruce. She hates how he keeps functioning like a well-winded clock. They never apologise to each other after that last fight. Neither thinks there’s something to apologise for. Or maybe both do, but Selina is so full, she cannot swallow her pride too. She’s afraid that if she force it, she might end up throwing up all that she’s trying so hard to keep inside and won’t be able to take the words back, and they might not survive after that.

There is no intel on the Joker’s localization. And it comforts her somehow that Bruce is at least looking. But as much as she dreams day and night of the moment she’ll face the monster that keeps taking from her, she also fears what will happen after. Because, this time, there is no way she’ll fail when she kills him, and she will do it, there is no doubt about that in her head. What will Bruce do to her, then? Will he decide she’s crazy? Send her to Arkham? To Blackgate? Separate her from her children?

Once she had the arrogance of thinking that he’d stand by her no matter what, and then he left her with just a stupid letter to say goodbye. And as much as she had learned to live with what happened, and their relationship moved forward into reconnection, marriage, love… you can’t change the past. Selina forgave him, but there was no way she could forget.

It didn’t happen to calm her heart that the last proper conversation they had ended like that. He never did that before, walked out in a middle of a fight. He never before gave up on her, and that was what it felt like. When she really thought about it, it was the first big fight they ever had that didn’t end in bed. She had no idea of what to do with each other now. It was weird to be treated cordially by Bruce, and when they lied down side by side, it felt he was miles away and fading.

It was her mistake to take Jason to Africa, it was her mistake to leave him alone, this whole situation was her doing, she had to be the one to fix it.

Euphoria and joy over the well-succeeded recovery mission of Starfire melt down in horror when Dick read the email marked as urgent that Bruce send him. In very emotionally tone deaf and ruthless clinical Batman fashion, he attached the case file, Dick was no strange from violence, but he vomited when he saw Jason’s pictures.

That was his fault.

That supposed to be him.

His emotional state was such that he took a while to acknowledge someone banging on his door.

“Dick! Open up! Raven said you are in distress! What happened?!” It was Donna’s voice. He wanted to say something, but images of Jason’s brutalized body appeared again.

The Joker’s laugh and all his promises playing in repetition inside Dick’s mind deafening all his other thoughts.

Something blew up, the metallic doors of his room melting, the smell of fire, the bomb, Jason… He had failed Jason. It should have been him.

The last thing Dick saw was Kory’s scared face.

Helena’s father was making her vow to protect him a hard one to keep. But she should have anticipated that. When she announced she would be going back to the field, he didn’t say anything more eloquent than a grumpy “hn”, but he didn’t try to stop her either, so that was a relief. And lately he had started tricking her into sharing missions and tasks with Batgirl, while he would do god knows what alone. She really didn’t like that. It was frustrating, and made Helena feel like she was drying ice.

She didn’t want to be Catgirl anymore. She found no joy in it. She was jumpy all the time, afraid, even the smallest of the injuries struck fear in her heart. What would her mother do if she got hurt too? What would happen to Alfred? What of her dad?

That night they had left the cave together, something that was happening less and less often. When they reached their meet point, Batgirl was already there, as usual. He went straight to business, briefing them, again, the girls would work separate from him.

“This is stupid! She can do that alone! You might need help!”

“Oh god…”

“Catgirl, if I need help, I’ll request it. Do what you were told.”

“But-“

He was gone before she could keep protesting, she tried to grab his cape in a desperate child attempt to stop him, but, of course, it couldn’t be helped.

It was in those moments that Batgirl would laugh, poke fun of her, but not this time. Her purple glove covered Helena’s still stretched arm.

“Hey, are you okay? Is this about Robin?”

“What you know about that?!” snapped Helena in a panicked way.

“Calm down! Nothing really. He isn’t much of a talker, is he? Your dad.”

“We are not related.”

Batgirl eye rolled.

“Oh, please! Spare me. ”

“And when did he told you that?”

“When he was training me, of course.”

“He was what?!”

“You didn’t know?”

“I’m so stupid… That’s why… He knows who you are, then. And he didn’t tell me!”

“So, he _is_ your father, then?”

Helena didn’t say anything, just took off.

“Hey! Wait! Where are you going?!”

“Do my job!”

“I have to go home” was the first thing Dick said when he woke up, he was in the Tower’s medbay.

“Calm down, Dick” it was Kory. Her ever so honest face displaying all the concern she was feeling. “Raven picked up your distress, she said it was so violent and shoot through her walls, you passed out when we went to your room. I apologise for ruining your doors… And Donna is also sorry for reading your personal email, but we had to know… Your little brother… I’m so sorry.”

Hearing the sympathy in her voice somehow made it worse, made it real. In some irrational part of his brain Dick still had hope that it all had been a fever dream. Something caused by an unknown factor instigated by an alien virus he contracted in their journey. But there was no mistake in Kory’s voice.

“I have to go home” he said again, with more urgency.

The pity in her face transformed into steel, loyalty, determination.

“Of course, we are taking you there.”

“No. Kory, no metas in Gotham” he pleaded, hating every word.

She smiled, and touched his face, Dick closed his eyes, leaning into her, he had never been more grateful for someone’s existence.

“I admire your respect for your K’nofka’s rules, but no. I am going. And so is Donna, Victor is preparing the plane, he’ll take care of the tower and the others. You crossed the universe to save me, how can I leave you alone to face this?” he opened his eyes to look at her again, she seemed pleased, and took his good hand.

“In Tamaran there’s something we say to children when they are learning to fly, we say: you need a hand to hold. You see… Their emotions are not well balanced yet and it is not safe to fly high heights alone. We also say that to remind people that when we rely in each other we are stronger. You too, my love, need a hand to hold.” She took the hand she was holding to her warm lips. “So this is me, holding your hand, and I won’t let go, I promise.”

It wasn’t hard to find her.

She took over Oswald old mansion, well, her plants did, she followed. Selina never thought Ivy would become recluse, granted, she had been a weird kid, but after her first transformation, if she could even call it that, she had become quite the social butterfly, so much that was weird, and wrong considering how she was inserting herself in those situations and taking advantage of older men. Selina had absolutely nothing against taking advantage of men, specially rich, old and stupid, but it hit her completely wrong when she thought about how young Ivy really was, and at the time she had no idea of how to deal with it, and Ivy didn’t seem to care about her opinion on it anyway.

And then, she went even crazier after her second transformation, and the girl Selina once knew and cared for was gone, completely gone. Even though she had heard that Ivy mental state had become more stable the last few years, and that she had been seen with Bridgit from all people.

As much as she still considered herself part of Gotham’s underbelly, Selina had more important stuff to care about than the local criminal scene gossip. Barbara, in other hand, lived for the drama, and liked to insert titbits of information she found spicy in their conversation. It was using one of such comments as lead that Selina was able to pinpoint Ivy’s current location to demand the plant she had given Bruce once, when he was trying to find a way to save Selina’s own life.

“No” said Ivy in her bored tone.

Selina rolled her eyes, the answer was expected, really, she never deluded herself into thinking it would be easy or free, but it was still annoying that she had to jump all through the stupid hoops.

“Why not?”

“What I gave you, will do nothing for him, and, what I have, might kill him.”

“Bruce said you told him the same about the stuff you gave me, and it didn’t.”

Ivy looked at her with something very different from the mask of indolence she wore all the time now, it looked like she was pitting Selina, and Selina hated it.

“It was supposed to…” Ivy sighed, looking very much like the friend Selina knew so many years ago that hurt. “Cat… I was still angry back then, hurt, not thinking straight you know?”

“Angry? About what? What did I even do to you?”

Ivy blinked in disbelief.

“What? You don’t know? Really? We were friends and you totally ditched me for your boyfriend.”

“What?”

“You were the first person to show me any kindness, I… And then we were separated and I felt like you didn’t even look for me…”

“I did!”

“Yeah, right. You gave up on me, you were too busy playing with your billionaire boytoy.”

That was not the conversation Selina was expecting to have that night, or ever, and in her current state in mind, she didn’t care for it at all.

“Whatever, I don’t have time to discuss this bullshit from years ago. What you want for the plant? Money? Say a price.”

“You really became Bruce Wayne’s wife, haven’t you? No. I won’t give it to you. That kid has a better chance to live without eating poison.”

Clayface was always a pain to deal with as usual, he was disgusting, and his plans were always stupid and Helena really didn’t understand the point of them. If only he took his damn mood stabilizer meds and went to his appointed weekly therapy sessions, they wouldn’t have to be covered in mud, at the Gotham Stadium, in the middle of a game. With thousands of people seeing two tiny girls dressed in silly capes struggling to capture a deranged man that was mad because his team was losing.

But noooo.

So now they were trotting through the North City park heading to Uptown, which in Helena’s opinion was the worst decision she ever took in her life besides that one time that Dick challenged her into eating a whole extra spicy mustard packet an she ended up throwing up on Alfred’s favourite Persian rug.

Batgirl, had told her it was better to just take de Edinburg Road where they could just jump over a car and get to their destiny faster. Helena had argued that trying to climb a moving vehicle while covered in mud was the stupidest idea she had ever heard in her entire life, which was, of course, and exaggeration. Batgirl asked why she was being such a bitch and Helena haven’t talked to her since. She had just walked straight into the very dark, at the time of the night, park. She thought Batgirl had left her alone and took the damn Edinburg Road like she wanted, but soon enough, Helena felt the familiar presence of the other girl behind her.

It wasn’t she liked to be mean to Batgirl, or that she did it because she hated her, but her presence and the way her father used her to put distance between Helena and himself was so infuriating. How could she watch over him if she was being forced to be Batgirl partner? And who was Batgirl after all? This vigilante thing supposed to be her family’s weird little hobby and when out of the blue came this girl and now her father was training her? What was with that?

“Wait.”

Helena rolled her eyes but stopped.

“What?” she turned to look at Batgirl, they only could see each other because of the night vision lenses imbued in their masks, so it was disorientating when Batgirl turned the torch attached to her suit, making Helena close her eyes as they were blinded by sudden clarity after so many minutes in the dark. “What are you doing?”

“Shh. I don’t think there’s anyone here, at least the scan isn’t picking anyone, but even so, no need to be screaming.”

“What is this all about?”

“Look, I don’t know what is going on with your family… Or what happened to Catwoman and Robin. Okay, not entirely true. I do know. I think I do… But I wanted you to tell me. I waited for it, I became _this_ hopping you would. But you didn’t. And I’m getting tired of this whole push and pull situation.”

“I have no idea whatsoever of what you mean. Can you just get to the point so we’ll leave?”

And then Batgirl took her mask off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter first draft I had written about Selina being Ivy’s first love but then I decided to let it platonic because there was so much happening already. And Ivy will not reappear so it had no point at all lmao.
> 
> This was a busy chapter, lot of things happening at the same time, I hope it was not confusing.
> 
> You are getting it earlier because I wanted to apologise for last week.
> 
> Have a nice weekend, my dears.
> 
> Take care.


	30. Persephone - Part IX

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another early chapter, aren't you guys lucky?

“Where were you?” his voice sounded somewhat colder under the cave’s penumbra.

Selina took off her cowl and rolled her eyes at his dramatic chair turn.

“Busy” she was tired and annoyed. She heard about some disgraced Italian doctor that had done sketchy research concerning comatose patients was brought by Maroni to Gotham for reason that had nothing to do with medicine, but when she got there he was already dead. Turns out he slept with someone’s daughter, she didn’t care for the details. 

“Selina, I told you I needed Catwoman tonight, you said you would be there!”

“I forgot, Bruce, geez. I’m sorry okay? I was busy with something else” she opened the cooler they kept downstairs, avoiding Bruce’s many tubes of samples to get her water bottle.

“Like what?” he was standing now, arms crossed in front of his chest, his cowl was pushed back, and the hair falling on his narrowed eyes. “What was so much more important?”

“Saving our son?” she snapped back.

“You’ve already did that. Jason is safe, you entered a building ready to blow up to make sure of it.”

“Oh, come on, not again.” That had been one of the themes of their many fights they had been having since she returned home. In one of the multiple retellings he forced her to do of what happened in Ethiopia, he picked the bit in which she told him that she entered the building and ran to Jason without trying to disarm the bomb first and that could have saved Sheila. He didn’t quite accused her of leaving her to die in purpose, but she knew how his brain worked well enough to know that was what he was thinking. “What you think I should have done? No, tell me, what you would have done?”

“That’s not the point-“

She hated when he was self-righteous, but when he was dismissive, then it drove her to insanity.

“I don’t know the point anymore, Bruce!” she found herself shouting. “There is no point!”

“Of course there is” he said with a note of despair, and she could see the confusion in his face, and that made her pity him, but the anger was still too strong. “The point is remaining together, like a family.”

“Yeah, because that worked just fine” she said sardonically, and the face he made was so heart-breaking that Selina wished she could just bite her tongue and die.

“What do you mean by that?”

She exhaled a few times.

“Forget it” and she turned to leave before she said something that she would regret.

“No, Selina, wait” she looked at the wrist he grabbed, he wasn’t hurting her, but she still wanted to break his hand. She also wanted to jump on him and fuck his brains senseless to feel something other than despair or just make him shup up. She have never been accused of been the most rational of people.

“What you want, Bruce?” she asked looking up to him, the way his Adam’s apple bobbed when he swallowed hard didn’t help her confused mental state either.

“I want you to talk to me” his voice sounded so smooth, so calm, you couldn’t tell he had just being the edge of a breakdown. “I know you are looking for a way to wake him up. I am too. But you won’t find it through people like Ivy Pepper.”

The judgmental, controlling, prick!

“You are spying on me!” Selina pulled her hand from his fist and walked a few steps backs putting some much needed distance between them.

“Not you, them. Selina, I understand, I do, but I need you to talk to me before making decisions like that.”

“That’s rich coming from you.”

“Selina…” he sighed. “I had no other choice back then, things were so different.”

“I don’t mean that. But you said yourself, you are doing your own research, what you don’t have the balls to say is that some of them really shady too” she laughed but there was no humour in it, and it made Bruce shiver. “You act so high and mighty meanwhile you’ve been chatting with some League of the Shadows’ bitch.”

His face froze, he was doing that thing she hated when he would be so angry, so angry and instead of just acting on it, he’d bottle everything up and become a living statue while she exploded around him, unable to stop herself. And then she would relive those moments, felling shitty for being the emotional mess while he remained cool and serene.

“Yeah, I do my own spying too. I mean, seriously Bruce? After the hell we went through last time? And I also know you probably know where Jeremiah is and that you forbade the whole town to give me any intel leading to him.”

“I did that to protect you.”

She laughed again. Bruce never thought it would come the day he’d hate the sound.

“Oh I never heard that one before.”

“It was true then, and it is now.”

“That’s not the point goddammit! Jesus! You said at the hospital that you wanted us to be partners and then you hide stuff from me and do shit behind my back and when I do the same suddenly I’m the bad guy?! Holy hypocrisy, Batman!”

“You were fragile, I was doing you a favour.”

“It’s not a favour if I never asked you for it! How can you be so stupid sometimes?”

He’s steadfast calmness began to crumble.

“And going to Ivy was the smart thing to do? What if she gave you poison would you just go to hospital and finished killing him?”

Her whole body went cold.

“What you just said?”

She had never seen so much regret in his face before.

“I’m sorry, Selina, I didn’t mean to-“ he tried to reach for her but she hold her hand for him to stop.

“No. Stop” she closed her eyes, hurt washing over her entire body.

“Selina, please...”

“Stop, just stop! God, I’m so tired. Bruce, look…” she sucked air through her teeth. She forced herself to look at him again. “I think we shouldn’t see each other for a while.”

“What?” he sounded so broken that she almost took the words back, but she knew she couldn’t, it wouldn’t be right.

“Yeah… You know?” she sniffled, noticing the tears were already falling. “This is not working. I love you, I know I do. But I…” she wiped her face. “It’s hard and… I can’t…” her voice sounding tight as she forced the rest of the sentence. “We clearly can’t stand each other right now.”

“Selina, that is not true” Bruce tried to argue.

“But it is. You know it is. I’m snapping over little things and you close yourself in, and avoid me, and I get suspicious and resent you. And we keep accusing each other and saying things that we don’t mean. I… I don’t want Helena and Mary to see us like that, especially Helena.”

“And you propose to fix it by leaving? Why don’t we just talk? We can sort it out!”

The despair in his voice was making her feel the shittiest person in the entire world.

“We’ve talked… but every time it turns into fighting and I’m so tired, Bruce, I’m exhausted. I’m really sorry about how I was when we came back but… I think we are just too different.”

“You are seriously giving me the ‘we are too different’ line?”

“I’m not giving you a line. God…” she tried to calm herself, it was crazy how their parts inverted in such a small time frame, and she hated she had to be the rational one. “Please. Just listen, I’m not saying this to hurt you. For once in my entire life I’m trying to be fair and to do things right. I’m afraid that, if I stay, we might really… I’m afraid _I_ might stop loving you. And then, I don’t know what I’d do. Do you understand?”

“No. I don’t. But… I’d do anything…” he swallowed hard again. “If leaving is what you want, then, I will.”

“No. No. Helena and Alfred would be terrified, and the cave is here, just… don’t be ridiculous. I’ll just go back to my old apartment. I’ll still come often.”

“And Mary?”

Oh god, their baby.

“We’ll work out something. I can’t think about details now… I just need to say it out loud to you.”

Bruce didn’t say anything for a while and a shadow fell on his face as he realized the meaning of her words.

“You’ve been think about this for a while…”

“Yeah…” Selina hugged herself avoiding his eyes. “Sorry.”

“Selina…”

“Hn?” she managed.

“Are you divorcing me?” he sounded so forlorn, a single tear sliding down his cheek.

Selina choked.

“Oh Bruce.”

And she threw her arms around him, kissing everywhere she could reach.

“Please don’t leave, I love you so much” he breathed against her hair, despair painting every word, every hitched breath, every bit of how he held her for dear life.

“I love you too” and she kissed him, hungrily, pulling his hair hard eliciting a deep moan from him that made her knees give, Bruce saved her from falling by wrapping his arms around her so tight that Selina felt dizzy.

“How long…” she heard his throaty voice say, his forehead against hers, her eyes remained firmly shut, she couldn’t look at him, she was too weak now. “Do you think we’ll be fine?”

Selina took a few deep breaths from the uncomfortably hot air they shared in their tight embrace.

“Shhh, don’t talk anymore” and she claimed his lips again, this time she tried to go slowly, to make things last as much as they could. He seemed to notice, and tried to rebel, perhaps trying to assert the frenetic rhythm she usually lead them, but Selina pushed him away every time Bruce tried to go faster.

Slowly, she peeled his armour off, piece, by piece, worshiping every part of his body she revealed. Selina made him lie down on the cave’s floor, and threw her leg across his body, sitting on his hips, kissing his chest, his scars, apologising, memorizing. Then she stripped for him, ever so slowly, urging him to learn every bit of her by heart too.

Bruce pushed his upper body from the floor so he could kiss her again, holding her face in his hands, rubbing the tip of his nose against hers to see her smile, he kissed her temper and cheekbones, smelled the rich perfume of her hair, noticing the usual shampoo brand mixed with latex and sweat, making the smell unmistakably hers. He sucked her ear lobe making her moan and payed attention to each of the freckles on her neck, which he knew would make her squirm because she was ticklish there.

But when he lift his gaze to face hers again, she was crying. Selina took a hand to his face, and without breaking eye contact she joined with him. Bruce fought to not close his eyes, he couldn’t bear losing anything else, not even a moment. She was still going so slow, he knew that wasn’t doing it for her, it was like she was trying to stretch the moment forever.

“Let me…” he begged, but the rest of the sentence died in a moan when she flicked her hips.

Selina kissed him, and Bruce didn’t try to talk again, lost in the sensation. When she kissed him nothing else mattered, when she kissed him, there was no pain, no anxiety, no bad memories, no worries, no goodbyes. The touch of her warm skin was a blessing, every throaty sound he elicited from her, every melodic moan sounded like hymns, and the love they shared, he knew, would be the only transcendent experience he would ever truly understand.

But, when it was over, and she left, he knew what it was like to be excommunicated.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please don’t hurt me! I bruise like a peach XDD
> 
> I might write an explicit companion piece for this later, but right now I’m busy af
> 
> I’ll also answer all the requests, I just need time. One of the clinics will close during January so I’ll have time then.
> 
> Also Three Names reached 3k hits! Thank you guys! I’m so happy other people enjoy my messy self-indulgent story too. You are the best!
> 
> Take care, and don’t forget to comment to say you thoughts about this chapter. See you soon!


	31. Persephone - Part X

Persephone – Part X

“Do you know why she called us here? I know today is Alfie’s day to spend morning with Jase, but I could have made us breakfast just fine” complained Helena as they entered the Waffle House. Usually she would be ecstatic to have a reason to stuff her face with sugary waffles topped with extra whipped cream, especially after she became Catgirl and her father started controlling her diet, but she had been in a terrible mood lately, Holly didn’t know why. But there was so many awful things happening at the same time that she didn’t have the time or the heart to try to make the teenager spill what was upsetting her.

“No idea, Lena, but I don’t mind, I miss coming here a lot, in Metropolis they don’t make waffles this good” Holly looked around noticing the few changes, they sat on their usual booth and a waitress she didn’t know came to get their orders. “Hi, is today Kiffany’s day off?”

“No,” said the waitress, like Kiffany, she was an older woman “she doesn’t work here anymore.”

The girls exchanged a look.

“Oh, what happened?” asked Helena.

“Apparently she is a novelist now, she’s doing really good, look” the waitress pointed at the wall covered with pictures of famous costumers, among all the semi-familiar faces was Kiffany’s, looking radiant with a new haircut and holding a thick book.

“Sweet!”

They just finished their orders when the doorbell rang and Selina entered, she was covered head to toe in black, but that was usual, what wasn’t was the large sunglasses indoors and Helena couldn’t remember seen her mother wearing her hair out in a ponytail before.

“Good morning kittens” even her tone was flat and weird.

“Hi mommy” Helena stood up to give her mother a kiss, act that was copied by Holly.

“Hi Sel.”

“Just like the old days, isn’t it? Just the three of us.”

That made Helena even more suspicious.

“Mom? What is this about?”

“Why? Can I invite my best girls to breakfast?”

Helena blushed.

“Well… I’m glad you seem to be feeling better, we’ve been all so worried. Especially dad,” she pulled her phone from the breast pocket of her overalls “do you think he will come if I call him? He could bring Mary and-“

Helena stopped talking and looked at the hand covering hers, stopping her from pressing the green button that would dial her father’s number.

“You father can’t come… He’s busy.”

“You are being weird. Holly, don’t you think mom’s being weird?”

“I…” Holly looked from Helena to Selina alarmed and confused by the whole situation.

“God, you Helena Wayne, is sometimes insufferable just like your father. Fine. My plan was for us to have a nice meal first, and then I’d break the news, but nooo…”

“News?” now Helena had a hysterical gleam in her eyes.

“I’m leaving the mansion.”

“What?!” Helena shouted standing up.

“Lena, calm down” pleaded Holly pulling the girl’s arm down to force her to a sitting position.

“What? Wh-? Why?!”

“Bruce and I talked, and we agreed it was better if I left-“

“No. No. I don’t believe it. I don’t believe in you! Dad’s not okay with it! I doubt it! The poor guy worships the ground you walk. Yeah, we’ve all heard you having a few fights lately, but that’s nothing new and considering all the shit that has been happening. No.”

“Helena, this is between me and your father. It has nothing to do with you kids” tried Selina, still in a soft voice.

“Yeah, I know it doesn’t. It has everything to do with you. God, you are so selfish and you hold grudges forever. I knew it. I knew you had never really forgiven him. And now you blame him for Jason too, don’t you? Even though it was you who failed protecting him!”

“What?” Selina’s whole body language changed, her face livid in shock and betrayal. “You don’t mean that.”

“People, come down” begged Holly giving awkward smiles to the patrons and staff of the dinner watching them with curiosity “everybody can hear you.”

“You know what? It doesn’t matter. Nothing really matters. If you can give up your family that easily, I just as well can do the same to you. I’m out of here” and Helena stood up again, but this time she ran away before either Holly or Selina could stop her.

“Helena! Helena come back!” said Holly standing up too and running to the door, but the girl had disappeared in the middle of the crowd.

“Leave her, Holly” said Selina in a tired tone, she hadn’t moved from her chair, she looked cold, soulless “she’ll be fine. She just need to cool down. Come, have breakfast with me.”

The waitress awkwardly put their order on table, Selina slid Helena’s sugary plate to herself.

“How can you eat after a fight like that?”

“That wasn’t even close the worst fight I had in the last days, and unless I’m sick or pregnant,” said Selina shovelling a mouthful of hash browns in “I can eat no matter what. Sit down.”

Holly did as asked, but her hunger was absent. She sipped her coffee and observed her adoptive mother stuff her face for a while, pretending to not notice Selina’s nervous looks through the window.

“Sel… What really happened? Are you leaving Bruce?

Selina didn’t answer, or gave any sign that she heard the question for a while, and just kept eating. Until her plate was clean and she sucked the last drops of orange juice with her straw. She patted her mouth with a napkin and turned her face to Holly, finally taking off the huge glasses. Her eyes were puffy and red, and under them hanging heavy bags.

“I don’t know, Holly. But right now I can’t be around him” she sucked air in and it came out in a ragged sob “I’m so sorry… I didn’t want to make you kids go through this too, but…”

Holly stood up and walked around the table sitting next to Selina and hugging her.

“It’s alright. I’m sure you have your reasons. Shhhh.”

“You are too good to me, Holly” breathed Selina against Holly’s hair “I don’t deserve you. I keep taking you from your own life and relying on you so much. I am the mother, it shouldn’t be like this.”

“This is nothing, what you did for me back then…” said Holly making soothing circles on Selina’s arm “I’ll never be able to repay you, Sel.”

“Repay me?” asked Selina rising to look at Holly’s face. “Kitten, you don’t owe me anything. But now I’m back at my own place I think I’ll be able to function better, you can go back to Metropolis to be with that cute girlfriend of yours. I’ll be fine, I promise.”

Holly made a funny dismissive face.

“What? Don’t be dumb. I’m not leaving you alone now.”

“This is my fault” said Dick holding Jason’s hand.

He headed straight to the hospital as the T Plane landed in Gotham, Donna and Kory flanking him like bodyguards, but he knew they were both more worried about him hurting himself than any villain jumping from dumpster to try to attack him. After they got the news on Jason, Dick entered in a maniac stage trying to find any lead possible to the Joker. It was so bad that he wasn’t sleeping, eating or resting, and the result was a fever that put him in bed and delayed te healing process of his broken arm. After getting a good scold from Donna, he had rested enough for the fever subdue, and then they took him to his hometown.

“How can it be possible your fault, Master Richard?”

“I shouldn’t have given him Robin, he was… _is_ too young.”

Alfred sighed.

“I cannot disagree in that aspect, but it does not make what happened to Master Jason your fault.”

“It’s Bruce’s then,” Dick said savagely “he should have protected him!”

“That is hardly fair” Alfred’s voice sounded more tight than soothing now “Master Bruce and the Madam did and are doing everything they can.”

Dick took a deep breaths, his arm was hurting and itching like crazy, and despite swearing to Donna and Kory that he was alright, his head was still fuzzy.

“Yeah, right. Where are they now?”

“They come everyday, Madam Selina barely leaves Master Jason’s bedside, but they have other obligations too, and it’s my turn to spend the time with Master Jason.”

Dick eyed the pile of books beside the flower pot, and the pictures, the place looked like a shrine. Dick hated it. It reminded him of the one people made for his parents on the spot they died, so many years ago.

“What Dr Lee said? There’s any chance he’ll ever wake up?”

“It’s hard to know. Dr Thompkins is getting in contact with some specialists, but there’s only so much medicine can do.”

“Yeah… I just hope Bruce finds the Joker before I do” he put Jason’s hand back on the bed and turned away from the boy “let’s go Kory, Donna.”

“What you mean by that, Master Richard?”

But Dick didn’t pay attention to the butler, just walked away while his friends followed him, giving Alfred embarrassed looks before leaving.

“Master Richard!” Alfred tried from the door watching the trio distancing themselves, but Dick didn’t look back.

“Look what the cat brought in.”

“Hi auntie Barbara” Helena managed to say, she tried to smile, but her face hurt.

“Hi, darling, come in!” Said Barbara cheerfully ushering the girl inside, completely unaware of Helena’s internal turmoil. “You haven’t visited in ages. I thought you had forgotten our address.”

“Sorry…”

“Do you want anything? Water, wine?” when the girl didn’t laugh Barbara frowned, really looking at her “what is wrong?”

Helena’s throat was getting tighter and tighter, she didn’t know how long she could endure if Barbara didn’t let her go already.

“Is Babs home?” her voice was barely audible.

“Yes, but-“

“Can I go to her room?”

“Alright. Yes, I’ll go see if she is awake, she’s been prone to take naps lately, never did that as a baby…”

As her aunt turned away from Helena in the familiar direction of Babs Lee’s room Helena closed her eyes trying to collect herself, of just trying to not look at the door and just surrender to the impulse to run away. Turns out that, despite her hard words earlier, she had more of her mother than her looks. The urge to run was there. She wasn’t even sure what had brought her there. After leaving her mother and Holly her legs just walked the path to the Sirens. Her first home. She barely remembered living there, sharing a room with Babs. But there was so many family stories, and pictures,… But her strongest memory, the one she knew it was hers because there was no stories about it, was from she was very young and had nightmares, she’d abandon her own bed and snug with Babs, curling her fingers in the other girl’s red hair until she was asleep again.

Helena was fascinated with Barbara’s Lee hair as a baby, her mother used to joke that she learnt to run before she even walked because she wanted to run after Babs to pull her hair. They used to follow the little girl’s book to best friendship to the letter. Heart shaped friendship necklaces, matching outfits, they even tried to pass as sisters, but it never stuck. Barbara was fair and tall for her age, Helena had always been a small filly haired thing with a smile too big for her small face. Barbara Lee’s smiles were a little bit harder to be won. Helena never failed to get them, though, until everything changed.

Last time they had seen each other, it had been ugly, and in the terrible mental state Helena already was, she barely could understand how she had not exploded in tiny little pieces after her mother’s news. She wasn’t sure if coming here was a cry for help or just her last attempt of self-destruction. That, a voice much like her Alfie said inside of her head, was something that she definitively got from her father.

People were always to praising her for inheriting her parent’s talents, good looks, and wit; mostly because they loved her parents so much that the love overflowed covering her also. But now she wondered why nobody ever warned her that she could have been bearing the same faults too. And if such a mix was really a good idea after all. By how their marriage was heading, maybe not.

Helena stood now, as the result made flesh of her parents’ mistakes. What could she do with herself?

“Helena? Helena!”

Helena opened her eyes and freeing two fat tears to slide down her cheeks. Barbara Lee was in front of her, her hands in Helena’s shoulders, green eyes tense with worry. She had said so many awful things to Babs last time. Called her a liar and a hypocrite and so many other things that were not fair at all. Basically she had vomited all her frustration in someone that, though had helped to build up all the stress she had been feeling with the mess her life had become, did not deserve such over the top treatment. She didn’t even remember all the things she had said after Babs took off the mask, when she tried to remember now, it felt like an out of body experience. Helena could remember the screams and the crying, the rage and the heartbreak, but not the words, and when she left, the only certainty she had was that Barbara Lee would never want to look her in the face ever again.

But now, and Helena wasn’t sure of how and when, she was back at Babs’ room, the place where her most beloved childhood memories belonged to. They were sitting on the bed, Barbara Lee’s arm around Helena’s shaking shoulders.

“Please talk to me” Barbs pleaded and when Helena mustered the courage to look at her again, she saw the silent tears falling. Babs rarely cried, Helena felt dirty.

“My parents are breaking up” Helena managed to stutter between sobs.

Barbara Lee’s face transformed from worry to shock.

“Oh Lena…”

Helena threw her face on Barbara Lee’s knees, crying with her whole body, feeling that she could finally, just let go all the threads had her hands in raw flesh as she tried to hold on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You had a chapter focused on Bruce’s and Selina’s drama, now you have another heavily emotional chapter but with the kids. And I fear things will not slow down as we are heading to the end.
> 
> As always, I couldn’t ask for better readers, I was overjoyed with the response to the last chapter, if I knew I’d get such reaction, I’d have done that evil earlier hahahaha
> 
> But there will be other opportunities to flex my sadistic muscles.
> 
> Thank you SO MUCH
> 
> And I’ll see you soon.


	32. Persephone - Part XI

Persephone – Part XI

The day after Selina was gone was an ordinary one indifferent to Bruce’s feelings. The sun tried to rise through the heavy cloud of pollution that hanged over Gotham, and then, as usual, gave up, providing poor clarity and no warmth. Bruce woke up by the sweet sound of Alfred giving a hard time for sleeping in the cave again, and before Bruce could even feel like a human being, the butler started listing the string of mixed news about the city, and complaints about the children and the nurses at the hospital. To Bruce’s merit he half-payed attention, he knew if something was really important, Alfred would make sure to get his attention.

He took a shower, ate whatever Alfred put on his plate. Worked out. Took another shower and visited the nursery to wake up Mary. She liked to sleep in, which was a blessing. He brought her downstairs for her breakfast.

Helena was not at the table, his heart freezes. She didn’t…?

“Oh Master Bruce, you are here” greets Alfred drinking from his teacup, “good morning Miss Mary.”

The still sleepy baby scratches her eye but answers him with a “mo” getting a wrinkly smile from the old man.

“The madam took the Misses Helena and Holly to have breakfast downtown.”

Bruce frowns.

“I didn’t see them leaving, I was working in the garden, but Miss Helena left a note. It is indeed a fine morning, the one we have today. You should go out. Take the little Miss for a stroll.”

It sounds so ordinary, horrifyingly banal. Didn’t Alfred know? Didn’t the whole world know?

“Can’t” Bruce manages to answer after a long while, when he finished assembling Mary’s breakfast and put the tray in from of the baby that waited sitting on the high chair, swinging her chubby legs, completely oblivious to how her life changed while she was asleep. “I promised Lucius I’d go to the office today, after I see Jason. Can you look after Mary?”

“Of course” the butler says putting his cup on the table and walking towards the baby. She offers him one of her saliva covered blue berries. “We’ll have a lovely day, won’t we, little one?”

“Thank you, Alfred.”

“And sir, have you heard of Master Richard?”

“Dick? No. Should I?”

“Hmm… He was at the hospital yesterday.”

“Yesterday? He didn’t tell me he was in the city. Why haven’t he come home?”

“I don’t know. But I texted the Madam to talk with him. The things he was saying worried me.”

Bruce swallows hard when he mentions her.

“Sir? Is everything all right? You are pale.”

“I’m fine. Tell Dick to come to see me if you see him again.”

By noon the feeling of impending doom was getting critical, and Bruce cancels his others Wayne Foundation appointments. He hasn’t heard word from her yet. Maybe, just maybe, she hasn’t reached out because she changed her mind? Maybe she didn’t mean leaving, maybe it was something she said because they were angry at each other. Maybe, when he got home, she would still be there. Things weren’t perfect right now, of course they weren’t, but…

Bruce found himself driving back home, his bloodshot eyes staring back at him with accusations making him almost ran over a pedestrian jaywalking. He ignores the guy’s string of swears and buries his foot in the fuel pedal.

The house is completely empty. There is no laughing Dick hanging upside-down from the chandelier, no Alfred begging him to behave. When Bruce threads through the long corridors, there is no danger of having one of the old armours jump on him, actually being Helena doing one of her pranks. From the nursery come no sounds of Holly trying to teach Mary to say her name. And, when Bruce enters the library, the couch is empty from a boy with arms as legs too long for his still growing body, an arm stretched holding a book over his face, as he mouth the words he reads making expressions to each feeling the story provokes.

Even the ghosts have abandoned Wayne Mansion.

He turns away from the hollow living space and activates the mechanism that opens the secret passage behind the grandfather clock.

The cave is eerily silent. And even knowing it’s silly for its unlikelihood, but he wonders if the bats are gone too.

When Bruce turns his chair, she’s not there, curled like a kitten, looking very much like the girl who sneaked into his heart before he had any defences settled, although most of the times he had found her there was because she wanted a break from their life upstairs. “Don’t you ever feel weirded out by how normal we became, Bruce?” She would say. And he would argue that he was always normal. And she would laugh at him, until it started to annoy him a little bit, because part of him would always be so much of the teenager trying to impress the girl of his dreams, insecure about if she thought he was stupid. Even though she assuredly him daily that the answer was yes. And what preserved his ego was that he had no trouble turning laughter into moans.

He walks past the vacant chair, deeper into the cave, the gallery where he makes sure everybody keeps their suits in pristine condition, and, as he knew it would be, even though he wished and prayed it was not the case, her suit was gone.

“Where are you? I went to the mansion and there was no one there” Dick’s voice is urgent over the phone.

“You are in Gotham? Oh, thank god! I’m a Babs, come here!” then Helena notices her blunder and turns to Barbara Lee who is polishing a batarang “can he come?” without looking up, she raises thumb.

After all the crying, they finally talked, this time decided to work things over and reattach their bond. And, after the morning Helena had, what looked quite impossible, was now almost easy. They even had more in common now, sharing secret lives, and so much of the things that happened on the field between them could be seeing in a different light.

Barbara Lee told Helena that she became Batgirl because of her dad, he was receiving threats again, but instead of the usual nutty jobs like the Penguin, it started after the Gotham Police arrested a gang of cyber criminals with connections big tech. She had to break into Star Labs to take them down, the fact that Batgirl ran into Catgirl and Ivy Pepper, who somehow was also there, was a complete coincidence. The type of weird shit that only Gotham could provide.

After that, Barbara Lee got really concerned about how unprepared the GCPD was to deal with cyber crime. And there was only so much she could do from behind her home computer. After that, she thought that if she could fight crime a little, her dad would have more time for their family. One thing lead to another. She thought about the suspicions she had before, the bits and pieces of conversation she overheard that confirmed her hypothesis about Helena’s family. That when Dick was shot and he still refused to tell her what was really happening, she was so hurt that she considered never talking to him or Helena again. Then Jason came, by the time Barbara Lee wasn’t as angry anymore, and she missed Helena. She honestly just wanted to help, and thought that assisting Jason find the truth about his mother would somehow heal everything. How wrong she was.

“No. We can’t talk there.”

“Dick, she knows.”

“What?”

“She knows everything, please, just… Don’t make me come home now.”

“Lena, what happened?”

“Just come.”

He looked like crap that had been run over by a truck when he appeared at the Siren’s door.

“Hi, Miss Kean.”

“Not that I’m not happy to see you, kid, especially now you are all grown up but… wait, how old are you now?” Barbara mock-flirted making Dick blush.

“Ew mom! Hi, Dick” Barbara Lee smiled warmly at him, pushing her mother aside to let him in.

“I was joking! I have such a grumpy kid. No sense of humour that one.”

Helena cut between the other two women and threw herself against her brother, holding him for dear life.

“Oof, Lena, easy” but he kissed the top of her hair.

“I’m so, so happy you are here.”

“I mean it, is this a convention?” asked Barbara “Should I be expecting more people?”

“Don’t listen to her,” said Babs Lee rolling her eyes “come on in. Let’s go to my room.”

“So… You are Batgirl? Like, for real?” asked Dick as soon as the girls explained the basics to him.

“Why?” asked Barbara Lee putting a hand on her hip. “You don’t think I’m capable of doing the job?”

“No! That’s not it. I know you kickass, Babs, it’s just… Wow… I mean… What are the chances? None of us ended up normal. That’s kinda fucked up.”

“Have you seen mom?” asked Helena in a nervous tone.

“No. I told you, I went home and there was no one there. I saw Alfred yesterday, just after we landed, when I went to see Jason.”

“Mom is leaving dad, Dick.”

If he looked like crap before, now it was something ten times worse.

“Wha… Why?”

“Why?” Helena sounded hysterical now. “Because she’s selfish, ungrateful, and thinks only her feelings matter.”

Sadness watched over Dick’s face.

“Lena…”

“No, I mean it. She has no right to make everything harder than it already is.”

“And where did she go?”

“To her old apartment, I think Holly will move in there with her, Holly always does everything mom tells her, so stupid!”

Dick exchanged a look with Babs over Helena’s shoulder.

“Dick?” Barbara Lee asked, noticing Dick’s face was getting paler “are you okay?”

“Yeah I just…” he pulled Barbara Lee’s pink gamer chair and sat down “it’s a lot to take in… God… You know, last week I was fighting aliens in another planet… It was less complicated than this.”

“And how is Kory?” asked Helena.

Dick smiled, but he still looked sad.

“She’s fine. She and Donna came with me. Wouldn’t let me come alone. They are staying at a hotel, I was afraid Bruce…”

“No metas in Gotham” Helena preached, sitting on the bed. “Oh god…” she covered her face with her hands “I should go to see dad.”

They were interrupted by Barbara Lee’s mother knocking at the door.

“We’re busy, mom!”

“I know. I know. I don’t want to bother. But it has been so long since I had the three of you all here. I brought some snacks. Do you still like sushi, Dick?”

“In what world is sushi “snacks”?” mouthed Barbara Lee to no one in particular.

“She’s trying to be nice, Babs” offered Dick. “I do, Miss Kean.”

Helena stood up and opened the door, taking the plate from the lady of the apartment over a bar.

“Thank you, auntie.”

“Enjoy, darling, and you should visit more.”

“What about Jason? What your mom Lee says, Babs?” asked Dick shoving a tuna maki in his mouth when they heard Barbara’s steps become distant.

“She’s studying like crazy, and calling her other doctor friends, but nothing worked. I’m seriously afraid she’ll burnout soon. She already worked too much before… I…”

“I’m sorry, Babs” said Helena rubbing her back.

“Yeah, me too” sighed Babs, she was still being crushed by guilt for being the one to find Sheila.

“And the Joker?” asked Dick. “Any sign?”

“Dick…” he ignored Helena’s concerned tone.

“No. And I tried every database I know. Every shady board. Nothing. It’s like he disappeared from the face of the Earth.”

Dick gritted his teeth.

“We should pick a rogue and question them. I vote for Nygma.”

“Yeah, Dicholas, what an amazing plan that of yours, kidnap a pathological liar for information” said Helena in a condescending tone.

“You forget, little sister, that I brought Donna with me.”

The siblings grinned to each other.

“Who’s Donna?” asked Barbara Lee not impressed.

“Oh Donna? She’s Wondergirl” informed Dick in a proud tone.

“Let’s go suit up” suggested Helena. “Now everybody knows, you can come to the cave with us, Babs, you will love it!”

“I’ve been there…”

“What?!”

“Where do you think your father trains me? And who do you think fixed that annoying bug on the Batcomputer?”

Bruce dreaded the moment they would find out, but never, in his worst nightmares, he dreamed it would be so soon and with the three of them at the same time. The invasion alert blasted making the Batcomputer glow red. He turned the camera on the grandfather clock on, and there they were. In another occasion, Bruce would be truly happy to see them together again. As much as he was bad at keeping up with such things, it was impossible to ignore how the once inseparable trio, grew apart over the years.

He took the long way up, knowing that it was possible a bad idea to let them waiting longer, but since he was doing something that required so much bravery, he could, at least, for that, few moments, do the cowardly self-serving thing as a treat.

Barbara was trying to hack the lock when he reached the library. She stopped when he announced himself with a grunt.

“Dad, what is happening?” asked Helena, the relief mixed with confusion on her face made Bruce feel disgusted by himself.

“Something that I should have done already” he said in a low, but firm tone.

“Oh no…” moaned Dick “I’ve been through this crap already. He’s firing you.”

“Firing us?” Helena looked from her father to Dick, stunned. “Dad?”

“You can’t do that Mr B!” revolted Barbara Lee. “Not the both of us! You need us!”

“What I need, Miss Gordon, is for you to be safe.”

“How can someone be so consistently full of shit?” asked Dick, every word bleeding with resentment and betrayal. “You know, that’s why she left you. You deserve to be alone.”

“No… Dick” Helena’s knees gave in. Bruce moved to hold her, but Dick was closer, hoisting her with his one good arm. “This is not happening.”

“Helena…” pleaded Bruce “princess… Just listen-“

“Why should her?” snapped Dick. “To listen to the same lame excuses?”

For a moment it looked like Bruce would actually hit, Dick, but he had barely moved.

“Hush, Richard. I’ve had enough of your disrespect.”

“Heavens! Mr B, you need to cool down” interceded Babs.” Dick, you really need to shut up, you are making things worse.”

“You are defending him, Babs?!”

“I’m not! I’m angry too. But I can’t think with you fighting and just look at Helena! We need to go.”

“Go?” Asked Bruce. “This is their house.”

“Haven’t been mine for a while, thank goodness,” sneered Dick “this place is a nutty house.”

“Helena?” tired Bruce with a note of hope that was stripped when her next words came.

“Dad… I know why you are doing this, I get it, I do… But now’s not the time. You need someone with you in the field.”

Bruce blinked, resolute, it was like a wall of ice was separating them.

“I can take care of myself, Helena.”

“But-“

“That’s my final word.”

“Right…” said Helena swallowing the huge lump in her throat. “Let’s go, Dick.”

“Where are you going?” asked Bruce.

“Away from you” said Dick before leaving with the girls.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I swear this won’t be this messy melodramatic fest forever, but you know, the night is darkest before the dawn.
> 
> And you might even see a few stars peeks soon, who knows?
> 
> About the number of chapters… I don’t know what to say to you hahahaha But there isn’t much of the story left. I jus don’t have an exactly estimations of how many chapters will take, but I’m aiming for less than 40.


	33. Persephone - Part XII

Persephone – Part XII

“No way josé.”

“What?!”

“Seriously, Dick, I’ve heard so many of your bad ideas, but that one? That’s a winner.”

“Come on, Star, help me out!”

“I am the most sorry, Dick… But I agree with Donna.”

“I can’t believe you guys!”

Kory and Donna exchanged a look.

“Dick, listen, I can see where you are coming from, and that you, your sister and whatshername are angry. But” Donna said popping the “b”. “I just think that, maybe, forcing our way through Batman’s city and kidnapping one of the Rogues for intel that we have no confirmation whether they have or not, is a very stupid way to get into trouble. Diana would send my ass back home faster than Wally could say Themyscira.”

Dick didn’t answer, after she put it that way, he started felling ashamed at himself. As much as his training with Bruce tried to turn him into this cold and rational driven person, that was not who he was, and when he was as exhausted as he felt after all the bad things that happened one after the other non-stop, his defences must have been really low. That’s the only explanation for how he could even consider such ideas.

He fell heavily on the loveseat under the window that Kory and Donna were sharing during their stay at Gotham. Kory sat beside him and urged him to lean against her for comfort, what he ended up doing with a sigh. She smelled so good and was so warm. If he could only hide against the croak of her neck forever…

“You are telling them that,” Dick said to Donna “Helena and Babs.”

“You are such a coward, Grayson.”

He only turned away from Kory’s hair to stick his tongue at Donna.

“You cleaned up well” Bruce said as soon as she opened the door to let him and Mary in.

The baby was exultant to see her mommy again, squealing and making grabby hands with her stretched chubby arms to be picked by Selina who indulged her, giving Mary eskimo kisses and whispering words of love to her. It hurt to see Selina back to that place, and it hurt seeing her looking better than he had seen her since their lives became such a mess. He wanted to be happy for her, relieved that she seemed to be found a way to cope, and in some part of his heart, he did. But there was no way he could stop the resentment, the feeling of betrayal, the guilt in knowing that the best place for Selina was, as Dick had put so clearly, away from him.

“Oh, it was a lot of work, Holly helped. She went out somewhere to get us dinner.”

“She didn’t need to leave too… From the Manor, I mean.”

“Yeah, I told her so. Actually, I tried to send her back to Metropolis, but she refused. She thinks she’s in suicide watch or something.”

He felt his insides freeze, and the terrible memories of No Man’s Land flashed through his eyes.

“Is she?” he managed to ask, swallowing the tight knot in his throat.

“No. Of course not. I’m fine, Bruce, really. I hope you are doing well, too.” 

“Could be better” he breathed, unable to stop himself.

Selina’s body tensed, and even Mary seemed to notice the change.

“Bruce, look-“

“No, Selina. I didn’t come to have this conversation again, I think you were pretty clear last time” it was impossible to keep the bitterness out of his voice, but for once, he didn’t care. “But we need to talk about the kids. Dick came home, he met with Helena and Barbara Lee. Oh, she’s Batgirl, was, I’ve been training her since I found out, but that’s over.”

“Wait what?” asked Selina, her expression changing fast from a happy when he mentioned Dick to a worried and confused one by the end of Bruce’s sentence.

“That’s not all” he exhaled heavily. His tone was monotonous, he just wanted to get everything over with, so he could leave and lick his wounds alone. “They know each other’s secret identities now, and they wanted to team up for something, I don’t know what, but it probably was something irresponsible, Alfred told me that Dick was asking for the Joker” Selina started walking to the living room and he followed her. “Nevertheless, they are all banned from the Batcave and it’s assets. I cannot control Nightwing anymore than I could control Robin, but Catgirl’s and Batgirl’s suits and weapons are confiscated.”

“Jesus Christ… What a mess” she said, falling seated on the couch, the baby climbed off her lap and took a pillow, biting the corner, her mother took it away from her, for a moment it looked like she would cry, but then she saw another thing more interesting.

“I’m not finished yet” he continued sitting down too. “So, they are angry at me, and jumped on the plane to San Francisco.”

“Wait… Helena too?”

“And Barbara Lee.”

“Oh my god…” he closed his eyes preparing for another fight but to Bruce’s complete bewilderment, Selina started laughing. “Barbara will kill me. She will. She will personally come here and open my guts with a dull knife to make it hurt more.”

“You… are not angry at me?”

“For taking away their toys because they were planning to be stupid? Nope” she had another fit of laughter and it was so long since he heard the sound that Bruce find himself smiling a little too. “But it’s still funny. I mean” she managed after a while “it’s kinda impressing how much time we took to get here, because you and I, we are not made of good-parent material.”

“I’m just relieved that you are not throwing stuff.”

“Haha. I am angry you were training my goddaughter behind my back, though. But at least you didn’t _make_ her Batgirl, or did you?”

“No. She was acting on her own. I thought that giving her good training and equipment would stop her from getting herself killed.” 

“Does Jim knows?”

“I don’t think so.”

“Well, you will have to tell him now. He’ll be pissed too, and Lee… Good luck with that conversation, big guy.”

Bruce just groaned and buried his face in his hands.

“And they just flew to Jump? Just like that? Why did you give the Titans a plane?”

“ _I_ didn’t! I try to keep their budget short if you want to know. Dick wants to go out and be his own man? Fine. Having responsibilities is a big part of the deal. They built the plane, that is also a starship and a submarine. Victor Stone, the Cyborg kid, he has bright future ahead of him.”

“Impressive” Selina blinked.

They didn’t talk for a while, just watched their daughter explore the coffee table. It had been so long since they just sat and talked like that, but as longer the moment stretched, more clear became the sensation of its finitude. Things were not like they used to be and they couldn’t pretend otherwise for too long.

“Well, that’s what I had to tell you” Bruce said in a tone lower than his usual, he stood up. “I’ll take my leave.”

“Okay…” she seemed almost surprised, as if she it didn’t occurred her that he had other places to be. “Thank you for letting me know. And how’s Alfred?”

“Sulking.”

Selina winced standing up too and taking Mary with her.

“I’ll give him a call…”

“Wait a few more days.”

“Say bye-bye to daddy, kitten.”

“Bye-bye!” said the baby waving her little hand at her father.

“Bye, Princess” he leaned over as if to kiss her, muscle memory. If she noticed, she pretended not to. Bruce straightened his back. “See you, Selina,” he said awkwardly.

“Take care, B.”

When Bruce heard the door close behind him, he knew he was leaving his heart there, still in possession of the thief turned vigilante, and also knew that was not right. As he walked away, he found himself resolute, there was nothing that could stop him from getting what he lost back.

Leaving physically the Wayne Mansion wasn’t enough to make Selina’s dreams settle for another scenery. She would wake exhausted from running through the neverending corridors, calling out for Jason, she could hear him asking for help, she could hear the Joker’s laughter reverberating through the walls, but she could never reach them.

Jim was even more angry than Barbara – who had surprised Selina by thinking the whole Batgirl stuff was hysterical – when he heard everything that have been happening to his daughter and went himself to Jump City, in a commercial plane, despite Bruce’s offers to fly him there, to get her back. You could say that his relationship with Bruce was strained, but Selina was sure they’d make up, they always did.

Helena came back after a month, Selina tried to talk to her and see her, but was ignored. That hurt like hell. Then, one evening, she heard her bell ring and it was Bruce with their daughter. She mouthed a “thank you” to him as the girl walked in.

They talked the whole night, apologized and cried in each other’s arms. After that, they joined Holly and had an all-girls night, just like they used to have in the old times. Despite everything else, Selina was happy she still could be a mother to Helena, that the girl still needed her.

Jason didn’t wake up the month that came next, not the other, and six months passed without the sound of his laughter. Lee tried something new every week or so. Selina appealed to magic, she stole every single artefact that was granted to have healing powers, but no science, nor magic seemed powerful enough to free Jason from the vicious grip of oblivion.

“My Beloved Detective, what joy to meet with you again.”

She said in that smooth thick accented voice of hers as she walked down the stairs of her private jet.

“It’s nice to see you well too, Talia. But you didn’t need to come” he finally made the call two days earlier. To get his life, his family and his son back, Jason had to wake up. There was no other way. Dick would never stop his obsession for revenge, Helena would never go back to be the sunny child she used to be and Selina would never come back home. After six months trying everything from cutting-edge science to the magic items Selina stole, it was time to seek help from people he much rather never see again.

“Foolishness, of course I had to come. I would never let such an important cargo in the hands of a lackey, or miss the opportunity to see you again.”

“Right” he said trying to not display his discomfort so plainly. Talia was a dangerous woman in ways much more lethal than her martial abilities, and once she almost sneaked into his heart. “Where is it?”

“No need to rush things, my love. I am famished, would you treat an old friend with a nice meal in a place we could talk more comfortably?”

He closed his eyes taking a deep breath.

“Talia, please…”

“I refuse to believe that such a well-bred gentleman like you would be so rude.”

They stared at each other, he knew he’d have to give her something back for what he wanted, he just hoped what he was willing to give was enough.

“Fine, I’ll make a reserve for tomorrow.”

“Oh…” she pouted. “I don’t even get the honour to meet your house? I’ve heard you talk so much of your dear guardian’s cooking. I am very curious.”

“I’m sorry. My daughters might get the wrong impression.”

“And what that impression might be? We are just old friends reminiscing about the good old times...”

Her voice and her perfume brought the memories back, the heat of the desert, the way the light of the lamps made her golden skin shimmer, the night in which he dared to forget Gotham, who he was, and what he wanted to fight for. In another life, maybe, he could have been the man Talia saw when she looks at him. He didn’t regret it, forgetting for a moment with her, playing what it, but he would never do that again.

“Even so.”

“What a pity, I was looking forward to meet them too. It must be hard for them to see their parents separated…”

Bruce looked away in pain, the desert was gone, the nonchalant and at the same time malicious way she said that buried any good lasting feeling the memories brought.

“My poor Beloved Detective,” he didn’t move a muscle as she touched his face, her perfume was hypnotizing just like he remembered “what a shame, but you should know a stray cat can never be domesticated.”

To his surprise, the dinner was enough, she gave him the vial of water of the pit, but she warned him, that the boy might not come back the way he expected.

The next morning there was an article hinting he was “moving on”, because of course there was, Bruce found himself calling Selina, he was tired from studying samples of the water all night long.

"Hello?" her voice answered.

He cursed himself, he had called her from the incognito phone.

"Selina, it's me."

"..."

"Selina?" he frowned, had she hang up?

"What you want, Bruce?"

I want you to come home, he wanted to say, I want to tie you in our bed with those stupid silk ropes you bought and make you scream my name so many times you won't able to talk for days. I want to wake up every day with you by my side making fun of my bed hair, and complain about how you always lose the lid of the toothpaste. I want to pretend to be annoyed when I listen to you and Alfred having your usual go at each other for stupid reasons like the missing buttons of my dress shirts or the seasoning of the guacamole. I want to hear behind the door while you tell the kids some extremely over the top, and completely made up story about me as a child instead of a regular fairy tale. I want...

"Have you read the social column of the Gazette?"

He could imagine her face, the way her little nose crinkled when she was annoyed at him.

"What is this? You wanted to make sure I was aware you took some tart to dinner?"

"She's the person I was corresponding with that time you look through my emails, Talia... Al Ghul"

"Oh god, Bruce..." she sounded more worried than angry now.

"She's not her father,” he tired, knowing how desperate he sounded, “she can help."

"That man had another daughter? How many of them should I be worrying about?"

"None."

"Really? Because that's not what looked like from the pictures, _beloved_."

And she hang up.

Bruce took a few moments to realize the smile reflected in the black mirror of the screen of his phone belonged to his own face.

She was jealous.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You can blame this last bit on Angela and Pippa, not me. I am completely innocent. I’m not doing the Rachel scare thing again hahahaha.
> 
> So, things are more or less calmer and we only have a little more to go now. I glossed some things over because I need this story to move. I might fill in stuff like Donna putting some sense inside Helena’s and Babs’ heads, and Helena's and Selina's heart to heart later in the extras, but I still have to finish all the requests you guys made me, I didn’t forget, I just have little time now, and my boss decided to give me more hours this month.
> 
> Stay tuned!


	34. Persephone - Part XIII

All the nurses were looking nervous as he entered the clinic and when heard the screams he started to understand why. His mind being the way it is, Bruce thought the worst. Jason was gone. The time they had been stealing to keep him was up, and was all his fault for nor finding a way to help him, for letting him to do Africa, for being such a coward he didn’t dare to use the Pit’s water. Well, to be fair cowardice wasn’t the only motive, he also didn’t trust Talia anymore, especially with his son’s life. He had tinkered over the sample she gave him, and sought Lucius’ help to study a safe way to use it. But nothing was convincing enough. And there was always the danger of insanity. Could he risk it? Had he even the right to do it?

“GET OUT! GET OUT!”

“Selina, you need to calm down, this is a hospital” Leslie pleaded, a couple of bulky guards flanked her and for a moment Bruce thought they would attack Selina, but Leslie held them back.

It has been a while since the last time he saw her, their telephone calls had been short, and Alfred had been the one present to deliver the girls to her flat. But this time, he was the one avoiding her. Looking at Selina hurt. It hurt to see how much he failed her. It hurt to see how just a little distance from him made her look more put together. She was even working at the Gallery again, and appeared on columns talking about her animal sanctuary. Although they avoided talking about each other, what the press can’t find out, it will create, and the narrative was that Bruce had cheated. His dinner date with Talia haven’t helped his case. He went from beloved prodigal son to home wreaker douchebag in the public opinion. The Wayne’s metrics rose after that, Bruce was somewhat disgusted, but he couldn’t must the will to try do something about it either.

Things would go back to normal when he found a way to fix this whole situation, saving his son and getting his wife back. Media games were irrelevant.

“HOSPITAL? HA! HOSPITALS CURE PEOPLE, YOU DIDN’T CURE MY SON AND NOW YOU WANT TO SCARVANGE HIM FOR PARTS LIKE SOME OLD _THING!”_

“Selina, what is happening?” Bruce asked putting his body between his estranged wife and the guards, but facing Leslie with a confused face.

“Oh Bruce, thank god” exhaled Leslie, her face contorted in distress. “Help me to calm, Selina down. There was a misunderstanding.”

“Control your woman, Wayne” the guard on Leslie’s right sneered.

The sound that Selina made was barely human as she jumped on the guard that said the disgusting sentence, Bruce’s arms went for her waist trying to stop her from scratch the guard’s face raw. Leslie shouted for the other one take his companion away.

“Get out of here!” Leslie said to the guard, if she was trying to keep serenity before, now there was fire blazing from her dark eyes.” You are fired!” Then, she turned for the scared nurses gathering in proximity. “Come here! Someone! Fast! Bring me ten milligrams of diazepam” she shouted reaching for Selina who was still trashing in Bruce’s arms.

“No!” roared Bruce. “Just leave us” Leslie seemed divided and for a moment, Bruce feared she was about to drug him to submission too, but she held his gaze, and nodded before leaving and taking her staff with her.

After a couple more moments of Selina screaming bloody murder and trying to physically fight the iron grip Bruce had on her, she calmed down, crying softly. He found himself caressing her hair, the both of them on the floor, Selina kneeling between his legs, she had ripped the sleeve of his jacket, and now he could feel by the sting that she had broken his skin. It was weird. That was the first time they had been touching each other since the cave, it felt like a lifetime since then, and at the same time, it felt no time as all had passed. Her smell was still the same, she still felt the same between her palms, and when she relaxed against his body, it felt like they were made to fit into each other. Natural. Simple. Familiar.

“What happened?” he whispered.

She took a while to answer, she had an empty look, hollow, her body completely flaccid, spent.

Selina swallowed and pointed to a white rectangle on the floor. Bruce sighed and stretched his body to reach it, still holding her with his other arm, she made no movement to leave. It was a document, some permission form, it was so wrinkled and stepped over that was hard to read.

“I don’t understand” he frowned.

Selina swallowed again, and sighed, pushing him away so she could support her own weight and look at him.

“There is a little girl in Bludhaven. She was ran over a drunk asshole going to school. She needs a heart to survive. Jason is…” she sucked air and it came in ragged “he is compatible.” 

Bruce couldn’t say anything, so he just pulled Selina back, crushing her body against him and wishing the time would stop, that he didn’t to force any other breath after that one. That the planets would just freeze their rotation, stop all motion, because every second added turned to be another horrible mistake. Another thing lost.

“Bring her” Bruce ordered without even greeting first.

He heard Dick breathing deeply through the line, hesitant, waiting.

“Are you sure?” he finally asked.

After a few months, the Joker still AWOL, Dick seemed to come to his senses, and by Helena’s accounts of the Titans’ personalities, Bruce believed he had Wondergirl to thank for that. If only it was her the girl Dick was dating instead of the alien. Helena had only good things to say about Starfire, and Bruce didn’t have any concrete proof that the she had ill intentions. But it went against every fibre of his body to trust someone so powerful, and she didn’t even had a grounding human side like Kent… However, it wasn’t her he was the most suspicious when it came to the Teen Titans, nor the one he needed.

It was Dick’s idea, and Bruce promptly said no when the boy presented it. No witch would come close to Jason. None of Selina’s magical items had worked for a reason. The reason was there was no way magic would solve all their problems. Magic was a terrible way to cause problems, but rarely solved any. And it always came with a price, and for a rich man, Bruce felt like he couldn’t afford a dime.

But that had been before.

And now science had given up his son. If Leslie was matching Jason’s organs with other dying children the message was clear, she had no hope of bringing him back. That couldn’t do. It just couldn’t.

“It doesn’t matter what I think anymore.”

“B…” Dick sounded worried, and Bruce wanted to kick himself. The last thing he wanted was Dick thinking he wasn’t thinking clearly.

“Do you trust her?”

“With my life” Dick answered with an unshakable voice.

Bruce closed his eyes in a frown. Fear brewing in his stomach.

“Then bring her.”

“Fine, I’ll make arrangements.”

“Only her. I want to keep the number of metas to minimum.”

Bruce could feel the eye roll even though it was only a voice call, and that although he was pretty serious about having the least dangerous individuals involved, he also couldn’t help the borderline sadistic pleasure in annoying his son.

“That will be harder…” Dick sighed. “There is no way Donna will let Rae come alone to Gotham, she kinda thinks you a prick.”

She what? Thought Bruce raising his eyebrows. What had Bruce done to that girl?

“She won’t be alone, you are coming too” he retorted between his teeth, pretending to ignore the last bit.

“But… Raven, she’s an empath, it’s everything _feelings_ when it come to her powers. I’m useless with that stuff, and no offense, but that’s thanks to you.”

“For fuck’s sake…”

Dick let out a surprised laugh.

“Holy s-!” He chuckle some more “I think I have never heard you swear before. You aren’t a robot, after all! What is it even happening?”

“Bring whomever you want, Dick. Just be here with your witch as soon as possible.”

And Bruce turned off. Praying that he had taken the right decision.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the short chapter, as people that follow me on twitter know, I had a difficult time lately, a friend that I love very much passed away and… I don’t know what to tell you guys. I’m still angry and sad lmao
> 
> But this story, this whole ‘verse exists because to keep me from falling in the pit, and it’s still working, so, thank you guys for reading, leaving comments, kudos, you are all brilliant people, and I’m grateful for you all.
> 
> This is story is about to be concluded, hold fast, just a little more to the happy ending.


	35. Persephone - Part XIV

Persephone – Part IV

Leslie came in person to apologize to Bruce. He thought of refusing her, but Alfred forbade him from such rudeness.

“I didn’t mean to present the form to her like that, to either of you” Leslie explained with a sorry expression. She had been trying to contact Selina since the episode at the hospital, but Selina was unreachable. She only called to let Holly and Helena know that she was alright, and Bruce had felt her perfume in Mary’s room the night before. “Bruce, you know medicine enough to notice his brainwaves haven’t changed in weeks, that there are nothing showing any signs of progress. He’s dying… He maybe even dead already. I had plans to gather the two of you and talk, but since you broke up-“

“We didn’t” the words escaped before he could hold them. Bruce winced, the sting of the words said so casually by her refusing to ease.

“Bruce…” the level of pity she said his name was nauseating. “It has been months. Losing a child… Most couples just can’t cope staying together.”

Bruce sucked air in, sobering up.

“We haven’t lost Jason, Dr. Thompkins. Please, arrange for his transference to the Manor. It’s time for him to come home.”

That had been the day before, and now Bruce watched as the nurses worked around Jason’s new bed. It stuck like a sore thumb in his colourful little boy’s room. White, iron, making alien noises so different from the warm coloured wooden bed Alfred had set for him. The walls remained painted with mismatched colours, he haven’t been able to decided the one to pick, Selina had tired of his indecision and painted each wall of one colour, and it somehow worked. One wall yellow, one wall blue, the other one so red it hurt to look at, and the other one was black. Jason used that one as a blackboard, writing with coloured pens made to look like school chalk. The poems, doodles were still there, like they were waiting.

“Will his mother be visiting soon, sir?”

Alfred was still angry at Selina for leaving, Bruce was somewhat grateful for that, it made him feel less guilty for forgiving her so easily, as if Alfred was doing the work of resent her for him, taking one of his duties as he did with so many others in Bruce’s life.

“I hope so.”

Bruce still had to tell Selina about the plans he made with Dick. But he half-expected she already knew. Dick, Bruce knew, called Selina every single day, and he even visited her flat a few times since she moved. Unlike Helena, who took great offense at her mother leaving and that Bruce had to force to talk to Selina, Dick didn’t make a fuss. He understood well the need of leaving Bruce and the Manor.

Selina watched from the top of the roof, binoculars in hand, unconcerned by the pattering rain.

She didn’t have a dad anymore, Lisa Greene. He tried to put his body between hers and the truck that invaded the sidewalk. It was a normal morning, the one in which it happened. He was taking her to school as they did everyday. She ran in front of him to get to her friend. He shouted for her to stay by his side, but kids never listen, do they? The truck came from nowhere, killed Willian Greene instantly, and Lisa was now in dire need of a heart to survive. Jason’s heart. Her mother was beside her bed, holding her hand, praying. Selina never prayed to get Jason back. She didn’t know how. The nuns from the orphanage taught her to repeat some big words, but they always sounded wrong somehow.

Selina had no more right to her own kid than that woman. Maybe even less because she had other children, and for what she gathered about the Greenes, Lisa was their only kid, and with the death of the father, she might be even all that remained of that woman’s family.

And yet…

You could never mistake Selina for a selfless person, for so long her only rule had been to look up for number one, but in the past fourteen years, things had changed so much. She could barely recognize the woman in the mirror. Wife, mother… What happened to criminal? To street trash? How had she been tricked into having people depending on her? How had she tricked herself into needing other people so desperately? She had promised to herself, when Bruce left, that she wouldn’t do that anymore. That she would never submit herself to that kind of pain again. That she would never love anything that could leave her.

What a fool.

Selina wished she could steal Lisa Greene a heart. But the rings on her fingers were a reminder that some things couldn’t be just stolen, just taken, they had to be given freely to matter. She wished she could just solve things by acting, by doing something. When she was younger that had always seen the answer. But now she was old, and she didn’t know everything as she used to. She didn’t know how to solve her own problems, to fix her own child. And all she could do to Lisa Greene was to wish her well.

Catwoman folded her binoculars shut, and pulled a grappling gun from her belt instead her bullwhip, it was safer, she headed to Gotham. It was time to go home.

There was a woman in the Batcave.

“Who the hell are you?”

She jumped scared, and Selina almost felt guilty. The shaky thing turned around to look at her. It wasn’t a woman. Not yet. Hell, she looked younger than Helena, and had a sickly look, dull pale skin and dark limp hair. Two weeks with Alfred and her face would be rounder than her daughters’, she thought. And then Selina winced internally because she remembered that Alfred hated her at the current moment. Oh Jeeves, Bruce’s fangirls had nothing on him.

“I’m Raven, ma’am” she whispered.

“Raven? Dick’s Raven?” Selina’s eyebrows rose in recognition. “What are you doing here?”

“Batman called me… For Jason.”

“For Jason?” she frowned confused.

“Sel? Is that you?”

Selina was incapable of hold the urge to smile when she turned to sound of his voice.

Dick jumped down from the stairs leaving the other three with him behind. When he landed next to Selina she barely could notice that he was now taller than her before he engulfed her in a bear hug that Selina reciprocated happily, her eyes clenched with joy.

“Look at you” she said holding his face when the hug loosened “all grown up, Jesus is that a beard?”

He blushed.

“Sorry, I forgot to shave this morning I was busy with all the prepping stuff…”

They were distracted from each other by the sound of someone cleaning their throat.

Selina felt stupid by how nervous she felt under Bruce’s intense gaze. He had taken her to her flat after the hospital, but she had been so distressed that she couldn’t remember details. One moment they were holding each other for dear life on the floor of the clinic, and then she was in her bed, alone.

“Hello, Selina” he said in that deep voice of his.

Selina walked away from Dick’s hug and crossed her arms in front of her chest, annoyed that she had to tilt her chin up to reach his eyes.

“Raven here said you called her to help with Jason. What are you even doing, Bruce? And why didn’t you feel the need to tell me anything?”

“I didn’t know if you wanted to be bothered.”

“You know, I know I’m a bitch, but you can be just as much of a jerk.”

“Mom, please” Selina noticed Helena’s presence, and another brunette girl beside her in a red uniform “you are embarrassing me.”

“Hi, kitten” Selina said in a softer voice, “come give me a kiss. And you?” she said to the other girl “I don’t think we’ve been introduce, you see, my children have no manners.”

“This is Donna, Sel” said Dick as Helena crossed the room to kiss her mother on the cheek.

“Hello, Mrs Wayne, nice to meet you” Wondergirl said. Selina tried to remind everyone of Dick’s teammates, but they were so many.

“Hi, kid. It’s nice to meet you too, although I still don’t get the reason for the visit, and I’m getting annoyed no one had tried to explain it except Raven, here.”

Bruce sighed.

“Let’s talk in private. Dick, keep working, Helena, help him. Miss Troy, Miss Roth” he nodded to the other girls and guided Selina to the medbay by the small of her back.

It was weird to be alone with Bruce in that room. Too much history. She gave birth to Mary in there. And they had sex too many times in that hospital bed to Selina remember each occasion specifically. The air was charged, and she felt a bit disgusted at herself for thinking about those things with the next room full of children, especially when they were there to discuss their dying son. But there was something about Bruce in that stupid suit of his, with the cowl pulled back and dark messy curls falling over is eyes.

“Dick has presented me with a theory. I didn’t tell you anything because I didn’t want to give you false hopes or dangerous ideas.”

The urge to fuck his brains out, the urge to kick him in the teeth, would they ever separate?

“Dangerous ideas? Just spill, Bruce.”

He took a deep tired breath.

“The girl, Raven, she’s a powerful witch. A half-demon. She has healing powers. I called her because Dick believes she might be able to bring Jason back.”

“How long since you know that?”

He hesitated.

“A while.”

“Jesus fucking Christ, Bruce!” Selina started pacing angrily.

“The girl has trouble controlling her powers” he tried to explain. “Her father is very dangerous, and has tried to use her before… I wasn’t willing to risk it.”

Selina tried to take a couple of calming breathes. She didn’t come home to start fighting Bruce again.

“Okay… Fine… Fine. And now Leslie told he’s gone and you got desperate.”

“I’m not-“ he closed his eyes, wincing at her bluntness. “Yes” he breathed. “That is correct.”

She sighed and sat on the bed, holding the shaky silence for a while.

“Explain it to me” Selina asked in a strangled voice.

He sat beside her.

“She’ll reach into his mind, she needs someone with a strong bond with him to have access, the preferred way was a blood bond, but we don’t have that. Emotional bond is the next best thing. But might not be enough. I’ll go. And if we’re successful, we’ll bring him back… I don’t know how exactly… Magic isn’t something that can be really explained.”

“I’ll go.”

“No” he said emotionlessly.

“Bruce, you hate that kind of stuff. Your worst nightmare is someone poking holes in your mind. I’ll do it. Let me do it.”

“That’s not my worst nightmare” he protested in the same monotonous tone. He was doing that thing again, in which she became the angry one and he suddenly was stone.

“Why you like so much to go against me? You drive me insane!”

He just looked at her for what felt forever, and then his gaze lowered.

“I’m sorry” and she never heard his voice so sad and honest before.

“What?”

“I am. But I can’t let you do it.”

“Why are you doing this? Why are you trying to make it even more difficult?”

“I’m sorry for that too.”

“You never apologize. You always think you are so right about everything. I don’t understand what you are pulling now, but it’s not the time.”

“Selina” his tone now urgent, scared. “Listen to me, please.”

She let out a shaky breath; he could see in her face the exhaustion, in her deep eyes the despair.

“Fine.”

“Thank you” Bruce said with relief. “Of course I want our son back too, but you know I can’t trust what I can’t understand and I don’t even know this Raven person.”

“But _you_ called her! And don’t you trust Dick’s judgment?”

“Yes, I trust Dick with my life. With Jason’s life... I don’t know. It isn’t because Dick doesn’t deserve my trust, he does, of course he does. But Jason is hanging from a thread and it’s my fault and I’m so” his voice broke, he took a shaking hand to his face “I’m terrified Selina...”

“Oh Bruce...”

She hugged him, and if it was hard to keep her urges before now she didn’t care anymore. Selina raise her face from the crook of his neck and kissed him, hard, biting, urgent, and for a moment she seriously considered having him right there.

“I can’t lose you too, I can’t” he whispered against her lips, he sounded so fragile.

“You’re not losing me, you stupid” she spread butterfly kisses across his face.

“But you left.”

“Oh, I came back” he kissed her again, desperately, holding her against his body, pulling her bottom lip with his teeth, and hissing in pleasure when she sank her nails in his scalp, their bodies melting, impossibly close.

He held her strongly for a long while, and then wiped the tears that had fallen from his own face on hers. Comforted by being under her dark, soft gaze, full of adoration.

“But I’m going with Raven” he said.

“Bruce, I want to do it.”

“No.”

“Oh for heaven’s sake!” She tried to push him away but Bruce held her firmly.

“I cannot lose you.” He said very serious. “I don’t trust this Raven, this witch. I’m willing to try because I trust Dick, but I’m not endangering you in the process.”

“I’m touched by your macho display of protectiveness but I’ll pass.”

“It isn't like that, Selina. Can’t you see it? What if something goes wrong and you die? Then what? You know me. Since you’ve left I have only think about getting you back somehow. So much I’ve been driving myself crazy. If you die what do you think will happen? What will be of the children?”

“Bruce” she exhaled, deeply annoyed, “and you think I’ll be just fine if it’s you the one who dies?”

“You are stronger than me, Selina. If I die... Well, it would be tough for you for a while, but in the long run, you’d be fine. If you die... I… I can’t let you do that.”

Selina bit her lips as if she was about to let out a big manic laugh or scream, which were both possible and the right reaction. And then gave him that look, the one that said that she thought him was so incredibly stupid that she had no alternative but love him, and love him, and love him.

“Okay, fine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think as Selina as someone who gets horny at improper moments and angry at herself for being horny at improper moments, and look, it has been a while, forgive her. Bruce is no better, being himself at the same time a genius and a himbo. A living paradox.
> 
> Only a little bit to go guys, I’m sad af
> 
> But I feel it will be 37 instead of 36, I might squeeze an epilogue too. We’ll see.


	36. Persephone - Part XV

Persephone – Part XV

“They were just at each other’s throats and now they are holding hands?” Donna whispered to Dick when Selina and Bruce joined them at Jason’s room.

“They are always like that” mumbled Dick in a bored tone while he fixed the medical paraphernalia that needed to be attached to Raven.

“Your folks are weird” Donna whispered back.

He winked at Raven when he finished with her making the girl roll her eyes at him and then turned to Donna with his hands on his hips.

“Said the girl raised by five hundred moms” teased Dick.

“They can hear the both of you” said Selina cutting Donna’s rebuttal. The girl’s face shone red matching her starred uniform.

“Sorry, Mrs Wayne” but she only looked sorry she was caught. Selina wasn’t really bothered, actually, witnessing the little exchange helped to comfort one of Selina’s long standing worries. When Dick moved out she wondered if he was being taken care of, if he was happy, if he had people in his life that appreciated him. Of course he had told her it was the case, but it was nice to be actually able to see it.

“Sorry, Sel.”

Selina let go of Bruce’s hand crossed in front of him to get to Jason. He looked so pale, and needed a haircut, he lost weight too, his cheekbones more pronounced, making his face look hollow. Selina pushed the light coloured curl from his front, and kissed his forehead.

“How do we begin?” asked Bruce.

“Is B the one doing it still?” asked Dick looking from one parent to the other.

“Yes” Bruce answered.

Dick made a surprised face so genuine that it looked almost funny, his eyebrows touching his hairline.

“Really?”

“He convinced me,” admitted Selina, bitter.

“I’m impressed,” Dick blurted.

Bruce conceded him a small smile and then joined his wife by Jason’s bed, touching the small of her back.

“Thanks, Chum.”

Selina gave Dick a mean look to which he responded with his most boyish dimpled smirk making her shook her head to hide her own. After the little banter the heaviness of what they were doing fell, thickening the air.

“Bruce, we prepared this bed for you,” explained Dick pointing to the second hospital bed next to Jason’s. Bruce imagined that Wondergirl did the heavy lifting. “You will hold hands with Raven and she will make the link to Jason. You can’t let go of her.”

“When we get in,” said Raven in her soft-spoken monotonous voice “you will want to let me go, but you can’t, do you understand? If you get lost… Well… It’s better if you don’t.”

“I don’t like this… Dad” called Helena in a panicked voice, she was at the door with Alfred, almost perched in his arms like she would do when she was little.

“Come here, kitten” asked Selina in a voice that was barely audible, stretching her arm to her daughter. Helena hurried to get to her mother’s embrace and Selina rubbed her arm, kissing her temple, then she exchanged a look with Bruce, she knew he wouldn’t tell Helena he would be alright. He had no way to know for certain, and he wouldn’t want to lie to her.

“You need to be brave,” Selina whispered in Helena’s ear.

“Are you ready, B?” asked Dick, he was very serious now, how he hardly was when he was home. At Titans Tower he was the leader, he had to be serious, too keep people like Beast Boy in line and show he was the one in charge, he had to be a little tougher than he was home.

When he was in Gotham he had no such responsibilities, instead he got to be the one that lightened the mood, when Bruce’s and Selina’s constant banter got a little too heavy; and kept Helena in line so she’d be too reckless with her pranks. As he got older, the position of middleman and conflict de-escalator made him feel patronized, undervalued and when Bruce fired him for failing at doing that job it was the last drop, and he felt like he was betrayed and confirmed that Bruce didn’t trust him. So, he left. 

The divide was broken now. Dick finally had the opportunity to be the person he wanted to be. Bruce was relying on him like he had never before. This vow of trust, that was proof that Bruce finally believe in him, that he was finally good enough for Bruce to be counting on him. And, although Dick was grateful and honoured that they had finally reached that moment, there was a huge knot in his throat too.

He was afraid. So afraid.

He had lost a father before and he didn’t want to go through the same thing again. But, as Bruce had taught him all his life, there is no courage in not being afraid. Not being afraid when the moment calls for it is even stupider than being too afraid, he would say, most of time fear is there to protect you.

But being a vigilante meant to care not only about your safety, but others and, to do that, you have to commit to a risk to get things done. And Dick knew that if Bruce was every night risking his own life to save strangers; there was no way he wouldn’t do that for Jason, and _that_ filled Dick’s chest with pride for his second father. Because he knew that, despite his stoic external façade, Bruce was afraid too. And that made Bruce the bravest person he knew, the one who taught him that courage is being afraid but doing what was needed anyway.

Dick watched as Bruce’s large figure crossed the room to the bed assigned to him, lying down. Selina guided Helena back to Alfred and followed Bruce. Husband and wife seemed to have a conversation entirely mute while Dick hurried to connect Bruce to the machines that would monitor his vitals. Dick got distracted by the work and didn’t notice when Selina left his peripheral vision.

“Why are you doing this?”

Selina was standing in front of Raven who was floating in her meditation position.

“Excuse me?” the girl asked, opening one eye. Donna approached worried.

“It’s a simple question.”

“Sel,” moaned Dick “don’t bully Raven.”

“I’m not bullying anyone, Richard,” she snapped back at him.

Dick winced.

“Richard… yikes” but he sent a look to Donna to stay put.

“I’m serious,” continued Selina, her tone was not angry, but it was clear that she wanted an answer that would satisfy her, and not a joke or other silliness. “For what was explained to be what you are doing is very dangerous to yourself too. You don’t know us. Why would do something like that? What are you getting from this?”

Raven opened her other eye and she and Selina held each other’s gaze for a long moment. Dick thought of stray cats meeting at a back alley, when you are never certain if they will fight of just sniff each other’s noses.

“I get to help a friend,” Raven finally said.

“Only that?”

“Yes.”

Selina let out a long exhale.

“I believe in you. But don’t disappoint me.”

And then she was back at Bruce’s side. Ignoring the annoyed look Donna gave her.

“I’m ready,” said Bruce.

“You need to let go of his hand,” Raven warned Selina in her monotonous voice “or you might be dragged with.”

It was almost painful to detach herself from Bruce again, but she did. Joining Helena and Alfred. They exchanged one last firm look and then Bruce closed his eyes. He expected fireworks, colourful rays like the movies and the few magic he had witnessed until that moment. But he found darkness.

“Jason? Are you Jason?”

He was at the edge of the river, his mother was at the other side. He had always been at the edge of the river, but he now knew there was a before… How come?

“Jason? Are you hearing me?”

There was someone with him now. That was nothing new. People came and go all the time, but they never stayed, or talked to him, they didn’t care.

“I know who you are” he said to the stranger “you took my mother. You took her and left me there. Everybody always leave.”

Half of her face was encased in shadows because of the hood she wore. Jason remembered pulling the hood of his red jumper, pretending to be invisible. When had that happened? He pulled the fabric behind his back. It was yellow, not red, the blood stains might have been red once though.

“What? What you talking about, Jason? We’ve never seen each other. Listen-“

“Liar!” suddenly he was angry, and that gave him energy because he couldn’t remember feeling anything for a very long time. “I remember you!”

But when she frowned in confusion he felt like he was doing the same. Did he truly remember her? He turned away. Sometimes, when you stopped looking people would simply disappear, and he just decided that anger was not as comfortable as feeling nothing, if she disappeared he wouldn’t mind. He looked at the river. Usually the waters were dark, so dark you couldn’t see what was inside or your own reflection, but now he could see a scared face, small, hungry, a red shirt, a ripped yellow cape. And behind him there was a girl.

“I think something went wrong,” she said, she sounded urgent and scared. “I shouldn’t be here alone. You won’t come with me alone. I don’t think it’s even allowed. You don’t know me” she sounded like she was about to cry.

“But I know you” he insisted, but now he wasn’t as sure, if she was the one he had seen, she shouldn’t be like that, fragile, wasn’t she supposed to be a force darker than jealousy and stronger than love? “You took my mother. I saw you, after the explosion.”

“It wasn’t me,” she said again, exasperated. “Look, you have to come with me-”

“No” he turned his face away from her, if she wasn’t the one he thought she was, she wouldn’t help him. “I have to cross the river. To get to my mother. But the jerkface on the boat won’t take me unless I pay him, and I don’t know how to swim. Do you have any money?”

“Why do you want to go to your mother?” she sounded calmer now.

“Waddya mean why? She’s my mother. Do you have money or not?”

“I can’t pay for you, Jason. And I didn’t come here for that.”

He clicked his tongue.

“You are useless then.”

“Jason… Why do you want you go to your mother? She doesn’t want you. She never did.”

“I know” and as the words came out of his mouth he realized he hadn’t know for certain why the yearning to cross the river had lingered so long until he finally said out loud. “But she has no choice now. If I cross the river, when I do, she’ll have to keep me. The boatman doesn’t bring anyone back.”

“Why would you want to be with someone that doesn’t want you?”

He shrugged his shoulders and looked away. Raven straightened her eyes, but she couldn’t see the other side of the river. She was too alive for that. That’s was something to be thankful for, she wouldn’t to see her own mother.

“There’s people that want you, Bruce and Selina. And your siblings, Dick, Helena, and the other one. Do you remember them?”

Jason didn’t say anything for the longest of times and Raven started panicking again internally, what if she lost him? What if he was too far gone? What if she lost connection to him as it seemed she’s lost Bruce? Azar… Bruce. What she would tell Dick? And the rest of the family? They had trusted her…

“They don’t want me” his whisper was so low she barely listened, but relief washed over her for the confirmations that she still had a bridge.

“Jason, that’s not true.”

“They are better without me” he insisted.

“Jason…”

“They didn’t even care” he was shouting now, and crying. “They didn’t come” he sobbed heavily “I was hurting so much and they didn’t come! Not even now! They sent someone else! Who the hell are you?!”

Raven stepped back as if it would help her to avoid the massive outburst of explosive feelings of resentment, betrayal, anger, and a sorrow so deep. She had never felt something so strong coming from someone so young.

“I’m not…” she tried, gritting her teeth to hold her ground “I wasn’t supposed to be alone. Jason I did something wrong I think. Bruce was supposed to be here.”

“Bruce?” he said first confused, as if he wasn’t sure of whom that name belonged, then his eyes widened. “Bruce” he spat the name “cared for me the least.”

“Jason” a dark voice said and Jason turned to the terrifying figure between him and the river. It was clad from head to shoulders in black, and it had horns. Jason watched transfixed, it was hard to feel anything over the numbness of the mists that floated over the river’s waters, but now a single feeling took Jason’s entire being. Fear.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh no satan came for Jason's soul XDDD
> 
> The fic will end when I say it ended okay? HAHAHA And it’s your fault for having this prejudice against me in which you believe I understand the concept of time. I don’t. And to assume I can foresee the number of the chapters of the story I’m writing? What am I? A witch? Do you see a crystal ball in front of me?
> 
> Jokes aside, I’m pretty sure the last one is the next one, at least when you think plot. I might write a plotless epilogue like last time.
> 
> Jason thought Raven was Death of the Endless if you didn’t get the reference.


	37. Persephone - Part XVI

“Are they okay? They have been there too long” Helena was only one brave enough to voice everyone’s concerns.

Selina changed Mary to one hip from another, she had seen Dick and Donna exchange worried looks since Raven’s and Bruce’s slumber hit the first hour mark. Holly had arrived two hours ago with the little girl. Confused and worried about Selina not answering her calls. They gave her a fast explanation and now she joined the rest of the family in their anxious waiting.

“Their vital signs are stable,” said Dick in a controlled voice.

Selina’s breath became shorter, her heart began to race. Noticing her mother’s distress, Mary started to fuss and was about to break into a loud fit of crying. Selina held her closer and left the room.

That was a mistake. It was a mistake. It should have been her the one to go.

Why was Bruce so stubborn? Why he had to be so ready to risk his neck for other people like that? How could someone turn selflessness into a fault like that? So what she was so much more likely to recover from losing him than he was from losing her? She didn’t want to. She had done it once, it wasn’t fair of him to make her do it again. God, her was so infuriating, and arrogant, and-

He had to be okay. And he would bring Jason back, and their lives would return to normal again. Damn Bruce for making of her a woman who craved for normal! Who the hell he thought he was for ruining her like that? Why did he have to be so brave? So altruistic to the point of being irresponsible with his own life? The things he said in the med-bay kept going around and around inside her head. Sometimes he acted like he didn’t matter, like his life was mere instrument in the big scheme of things. And she would never accept that. The idea of her having to bury him made her feel physically ill, and the way he talked about it, with such confidence that she would be just fine…

Didn’t he know her at all? Didn’t she show him how much she needed him? Yes, she left, but she told him it was because she didn’t want the fights to break their relationship beyond repair. And she came back goddammit! He had to be fine, he had to bring Jason back soon, because she really needed to make him understand a few things that she mistakenly thought were very clear.

“Mom?”

Selina, who was sitting on her old nursing chair, rose her head from her hands to look at Helena, she was by the door of the nursery, holding her elbow, her hair falling limp around her face.

Fear made her stomach drop.

“Did something happen?”

“No… They are still sleeping. You left out of the blue, came to see if you’re okay.”

Selina smiled softly.

“I’m fine, baby, just needed a moment.”

Helena entered the room and joined Mary who was sitting on the carpet surrounded by her toys.

The toddler held a plastic cell phone to her sister.

“It’s Daddy,” Mary explained in that matter-of-factly tone babies sometimes have when they are pretending to be grown up people, “he wants to talk with you.”

Helena chocked, managing to let out a half-sob, half-laugh and took the toy to “answer the call”.

“Hi Daddy,” Helena said sniffling, “please come back to us safe with Jay. We miss him so much, love you.”

Helena was crying freely when she gave back the toy to Mary.

“Here, he wants to talk to you again.”

“Lena, why you cwying?” Asked Mary, her little face in concern, and then she put the pretend cell phone against her own ear. “Bad daddy! Why you make Lena cwy?! I’m gonna tell Al!”

Selina smiled at her daughters antics and held her arms to Helena.

“Come here kitten,” Helena crawled to her mother, letting Mary who was still pretending to scold her dad on the phone. Selina held Helena by her shoulders, patting her hair and kissing the top of her head. “We will be fine. I trust your father, and I trust Dick. Don’t you?”

“Yeah” Helena breathed, her face against her mother’s latex covered chest, “and I trust Rae too, she’s really cool, mom. I saw her curing civilians’ wounds like it was nothing, but… I don’t want to lose dad and Jay.”

“We won’t. We can’t.”

Bruce was alone.

That was the first thing that he noticed, and he knew that was not it supposed to be; even though he couldn’t remember why.

He tries to take in his surroundings. As if it took him in too, responding to his decision, the light post beside him turns on. It’s sickly yellow light blinding him for a moment. Bruce looks down, he sees no cape, no boots, but small boy’s feet in shiny Italian dress shoes. Intrigued, he hold his hands forward, they are small too, no scars, no calluses, only pink soft flesh. He looks around, his eyes finally getting used to the sudden clarity. He’s at the Crime Alley. His heart freezes and he turns around waiting for a smoking gun, his parent’s bodies on the floor, the flashback of the worst night of his life. The scene recurs to him in dreams so many times that should have desensitized him by now, but it never fails to break his heart.

But there’s no one, no cats, no rats, no roaches, no pearls or blood on the floor.

He walks, and his shoes make no sound against the cobblestones, Crime Alley seen to go on forever, and as he looks down again he sees his heavy boots, and hears the rustle of this cape, his shadow changes shape, elongating, enlarging, no more a boy’s shadow, no more an stranger to the eerie nightscape, but part of it.

He feels himself becoming more solid, more real, the contours of the brick walls, he notices, become clearer, other light posts turn on as he walks and he starts listening to sounds of life. Suddenly there’s trash for strays to feed of, and puddles of past rain make the pavement shine. The murmur of distant voices follow, and then the rest of the noises from the night in the city. Bruce turns to the sound of a curse and something heavy and metallic hitting the floor. He sees the Batmobile and a small form dressed in something that once had been red crouched against one of the wheels.

Batman’s sure he didn’t make a sound, but Jason looks up scared. It has been so much time since he saw Jason do something other than sleep, his steps falter giving the boy a head start. Jason runs.

He follows Jason and one more time his surroundings change. He’s in a farm, lost in a maze of corn. Even with tall cornstalks all around him the sun is blinding, not a sensation a Gothamite is used to. Batman walks, still looking for the lost boy, his conviction that he will find Jason in that place follows the same logic of why he sees no reason to feel awkward to be in his black armour in the middle of the day in a place he can’t recognize.

He turns when he hears a scream, and see a group of boys kicking and pushing a smaller child in the middle. He tries to shout but no voice comes, he tries to move across the cornstalks to get to them, but the plants refuse to move, he reaches for some form of aid from his utility belt, but all the pockets are empty. Eventually the older boys leave. Jason stays for a while curled on the floor, not for a moment, Batman tries to stop trying to reach out to him. Eventually, the boy manages to sit up, he spits blood on the ground and glances behind looking straight into Batman’s eyes before turning around and limping away.

It’s raining, hard. Batman feels like every inch of his body is drenched but it makes no sense since his cape and armour are supposed to be waterproof. And he is hungry. He hears the soft murmur of a young voice, and a mewl under the pitter-patter of the rain. He tries to find the source of the sound, but it’s hard. It’s so cold, and rain somehow infiltrated in his cowl, building in his eyes, making them sting. Eventually he finds Jason sitting next to a dumpster, he has what looks to be a cat with him, hiding under his dirty clothes, both of them using a cardboard as a cover from the rain. Jason has a battered comic book that he seems to be reading out loud to the cat. Batman doesn’t try to talk to him again. He feels like he is intruding in a very private moment.

Selina is twisting the program of the show nervously, Bruce cover her hands with his. Batman watches. He’s tired of watching and trying to pursue Jason to no avail, but he still remains, he doesn’t try to leave. It’s the night of the adoption, when they took him to see a musical. Selina was nervous, but still played cool afterwards, Jason was looking at the actors dressed like cats with huge enchanted eyes. Batman remembers thinking it was the first time his eyes didn’t look too old for his face.

“Dick, it has been too long,” Donna warns in a hushed tone.

“They are stable,” he snaps back without looking at her, his eyes going nervously from one monitor to the other.

“Dick,” she tries in a softer, but still firm tone “it has been too long.”

His breath hitches and Donna curses internally for not taking Kory with them. As much as she loves Dick, and she enjoys her place in his and the rest of the Titan’s life as the “mom friend”, she didn’t want to have to deal with an emotional Dick Grayson falling apart. She came to take care of Raven, and protect her best interests. And right now, she wasn’t sure if she was doing a good work. She had no idea of what the hell was happening to Raven. Her live signs were stable, yes, but she had never been out for such a long time, and if it was something like her soul trips, that meant trouble, even death.

“Master Dick? Is everything alright?”

“It’s fine, Alfred,” he answered with a strangled voice.

Holly approached Dick, they never had a sibling relationship like both of them had with Helena, Jason and Mary. Holly had already left to university when Selina and Bruce got married, and when Holly came to live in the mansion, Dick had already fled to San Francisco. But there was something like a borrowed love from sharing the same family. She touched his arm, and he finally took his eyes from the monitors to look at her, confused at first, like he couldn’t recognize her, but his frown relaxed when she smiled.

“Do you want to go downstairs get some tea? You have been on your feet for hours.”

“Holly…” He chocked. “I can-”

“Go with Alfred,” she insisted, cutting him out. “I’ll monitor them for a while,” something in the way she said that made him feel like he had no choice but obey, it was no different from when Selina gave him an order, and was that similarity that made Dick breath in relief.

“Fine. Donna, do you want something?”

“No, I’m okay.” She was also looking somewhat relieved, and exchanged a look with Holly over his shoulder.

“Go the two of you,” said Alfred. “I will remain with Masters Bruce and Jason, and our guests.”

Holly smiled with gratitude to the old man and led Dick outside.

They found Helena, Selina and Mary in the kitchen. They raised their faces expectantly when Dick and Holly entered, but Holly just shook her head bringing sad sighs. Selina went back to cutting fruit for her youngest. It was a picturesque scene to see her in Alfred’s spotless domestic kitchen wearing her latex catsuit, feeding a toddler in a high chair. Dick thought that living with aliens, robots, witches and shapeshifters would have desensitized him from such scenes, but that was the same woman who gave him ‘The Talk’ when he was 13. And that kitchen table was the same in which he had made his homework every day until he dropped out of school and ran away to the other side of the country. Titan’s Tower was his home now, yes, but was never a house in the same ordinary way Wayne Manor was.

Without seeing the need to say a word, Dick pulled a chair next to Helena and sat down while Holly filled the teapot and turned the stove on. Helena laid her head on Dick’s shoulder, and he leaned his cheek against the top of her head.

They waited.

Frustration, more than anger or fear, was the feeling that Batman had more trouble to conquer. And, right now, he felt like in his constant war against human emotions that could compromise his mission, frustration had won against his best efforts.

He found himself in a desert. He could have been walking through the unstable sandy ground for hours or maybe years. The sky was filled with stars, but he couldn’t recognize the constellations to try to guide himself. He couldn’t even stop walking, it meant doing nothing, and if he did nothing what was the point?

Suddenly there was a tree. He had never seen a plant so tall before, not even between Ivy Pepper’s perversions of nature. And, at the same time, every plump, fat fruit was at his arms’ length. Every one of them looked like the same, a red so deep it was almost marron, yet, he knew, each one of them couldn’t be more different. The one closest to him was freedom and relief, it was also darkness, it was the end of his mission and eternal rest. He ignored it, his mission was not over. The fruit fell at his feet as soon as he made the mental decision of letting it go. It cracked when it hit the floor, revealing it was hollow inside.

The second closest fruit was paradise and also deceit. In this one his parents never died and he never became anything other than Bruce Wayne. It was a made up life, a bundle of what ifs and never-weres. Yet, his mouth watered, his arm stretching to get it before he could stop himself. Once, giving up that fruit would be impossible, and even now it was hard beyond measure. He was so hungry that he could feel his stomach folding within itself. But, when he touched it, he noticed that even though the fruit looked juicy and big enough to quench his self-cannibalizing hunger, it bore no weight against his palm, and as soon as he recoiled his arm, it dissolved in the air, like a dandelion blown by a child.

And it was the image of a child that took him to the next fruit. That one he took with both hands and bit into it, red juice sliding through his chin. He looked at the dent he made into de fruit and between the seeds found two coins shining like eyes. He inserted his fingers inside the gooey interior of the fruit plucking the coins out. When he looked up again, there was a river and two small figures. As the mists lowered he noticed a girl shrouded in dark clothing, wrapped around her wrist a red string that led to himself, he noticed for the first time that something had been guiding him through his journey. Beside the girl there was a boy in colourful rags.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know it has been a while and that I keep promising the final chapter and it never comes lmao
> 
> It’s annoying to me too, but I felt like I should put a break here. This chapter was laborious to birth. I hope all the oneiric stuff and gothic imagery didn’t feel so out of tone with the rest of the story, but with something so long, it’s hard to keep consistence.
> 
> The trip into the Erebus was planned from the beginning, but knowing what happens and how it happens are two very different things.
> 
> But enough of that. I’ll try to not take so long with the next update and I plead and pray to the muses to finally let me finish this story. Not because I’m tired of it, but because I’m dragging you all with me since July!! Y’all deserve freedom.


	38. Persephone - Part XVII

“Azar! You found your way,” relief spread through Raven’s young face.

Jason turned slowly as Batman walked out of the shadows in their direction.

“Thank you, Raven,” said the Batman, alleviated to have voice again. Although his voyage had been long, he had finally found the right path through the Erebus. It had been, without any doubt, the hardest journey of his life, his ten years of lost wandering couldn’t even compare, but it wasn’t over yet.

The boy remained silent, his face lowered.

“What is it Jason?” and to Jason’s surprize, he didn’t have to look up to face the callousness of the white senses of the Batman’s cowl. When Jason raised his gaze from the ground, he found Bruce in front of him, bent in on knee to the ground.

He looked tired, and older than Jason reminded of him, and yet, Jason could see now, Bruce was in so many ways, very young, a child just like himself. His blue eyes were filled with a mix of sadness and love so strong that Jason had to suck the air in to hold the tears in. All he ever wanted was to accept the offer Bruce implicitly tried to make him take, and that he had been so afraid to accept all this time.

For the first moment in a very long time, Jason didn’t want to be punished anymore, he didn’t want to cross the river to be with the person who betrayed him from his first to final moment, he wanted to go home. But after everything that have happened, how could him? Surely, he didn’t get to go with Bruce. Not him. Not Jason.

“I failed you,” he said, finally. “I was ungrateful to you and Selina, and I couldn’t even be a decent Robin.”

As much as those words broke Bruce’s heart, he also felt his chest expand with pride for the child before him. Jason couldn’t be more mistaken in his assumptions of self-worth and responsibility, yet there was so much courage needed to carry a crippling burden like that. Bruce reached out to Jason, and pushed the blood matted curls falling on his eyes. Jason blinked releasing a couple of fat tears that made paths on his cheeks covered in desert dust.

“I… I could hear you, sometimes…” he continued in a tiny voice. “And I remember that day… B… Tell Sel… Tell her I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.” He choked, his little face crumpled in distress. “She was crying so much, and I’ve heard you fighting after... I ruined everything. I should be with my mother. I’m bad like her, we belong together.”

“Look at me,” said Bruce in a kind yet firm tone “you did nothing wrong. I am the one who failed you, and your mother, I shouldn’t let you go alone. She’s waiting for you.”

Jason gave him a look so broken, that made Bruce’s heart constrict with despair, he wasn’t believing. What life had that child led that made him so distrustful? Overtaken by fear, Bruce pulled Jason to a bear hug, his small body crashing against his armour.

“Jay, son, I love you so much, you have no idea…”

He hears Jason sigh, and when the boy returns the contact throwing his small arms around his neck, grabbing bits of the fabric of Bruce’s cape with urgency, Bruce feels, after a very long time, true hope that things will be alright.

“I should have payed more attention,” he continues, still holding Jason strongly, “and I should have never let you feel like you didn’t belong with us. But I make mistakes too, we all do. And I’m here to apologise. Do you think you can forgive me, Jason?”

It takes a moment for the boy to control himself enough to whisper his affirmative in Bruce’s ear. The relive is cathartic, and he tightens his grip around Jason’s body, thanking him.

“We’ve been here for too long,” says Raven, and Bruce stand up alarmed. He had forgotten she was even there. He feels Jason grab his hand, and he adjust the grip.

“How do we leave?” Bruce asks.

“We need to pay the ferryman to take Jason. Do you have the obol?”

Bruce frowns and then the taste of the fruit feels his mouth again. He reaches into his pocket and take the two copper coins. They feel heavy against his palm.

“But I thought…” says Jason hesitant “I thought he would take me to…”

“The river has many harbours,” explain Raven approaching them, she curls the red thread linking her to Bruce around her wrist. “Give me your hand,” she says to Jason.

Jason exchanges a nervous look with Bruce who nods to him. Raven, ravels the thread around Jason’s wrist three times whispering something.

“For safety,” she explains. Then she turns her gaze to Bruce. “You ate from the fruit. I hope you understand what it means.”

“Yes.”

“No!” protested Jason horrified, and letting go of Bruce’s hand to cling to his side desperately.

“I promised to bring you back,” she continues “and I’ll try my best, but my powers might not be enough.”

“As long as you take him,” says Bruce, his jaw tense.

“No! Bruce! What are you guys talking about?! You can’t leave him here!”

“Jason,” said Bruce crouching again to his line of vision. “Come what may, remember what I told you.”

“But-“

Bruce held his face, brushing his thumb against Jason’s cheek.

“I’m just glad I got to talk with you again,” Bruce stood up turning to the river, he knew exactly what to do. “I summon Charon, the ferryman. I have his due.”

“This is bullshit!” Jason continued to protest.

The dark waters once impossibly still, waved, and from the mists first an oil lamp, then the bow of a small wooden boat. Before the boat crossed the mists completely, Bruce pushes one of the coins inside his own mouth the other one he gives to Jason.

Jason pays his due and father and son board into the boat, and sail into the darkness.

“Something is happening! Dick! Dick!” Donna cries out and the whole Wayne clan fumbles to enter the room.

Dick pushes Helena out of his way to get to the monitors. The scene is picturesque, almost comical although no one is laughing, and the panic in the air is so thick that is disorienting.

Everyone starts talking at the same time, and Dick is about to shout to everybody shut up so he can understand what is going on, and if he should be calling the paramedics when Raven open her eyes and moans. She almost falls on the ground, but Donna reaches to pick her up, carrying her like a bride.

“Rach? Are you okay? Rachel, talk to me!”

“Donna…” Raven sighs, pressing her face against Donna’s chest. “I’m so tired…”

“Oh my god!” everybody turns to look at Selina’s loud exclamation, as she runs to Jason’s bed as he blinks awake for the first time in a very long while. “Oh baby, my baby,” she mumbles, her shaky hands reaching for the boy’s face, but not quite touching him, too afraid.

Jason coughs and try to say something. Selina finally resolves to take his hand.

“Hush, honey, don’t try to talk now,” she presses his hand against her forehead. “Thank you, thank you.”

Dick falls on his knees, heavy breathing, they’ve done it… He can’t believe. He watches he rest of the family joining around Jason’s bed. Helena picking Mary from the floor to help her see her older brother’s green eyes blink confused to his family.

“What about Master Bruce?” Alfred is the first to ask.

Bliss fades, turning into sour dread.

Selina let go of her son’s hand and walk past her other children to reach Bruce’s bed.

“What is wrong? Why doesn’t he wake up?” she asks panicked.

“Rae?!” Dick calls standing up.

Raven climbs down from Donna’s arms, but still holds against her for support.

“I don’t know… I thought…” she breathes. “He’s lost.”

“You’ve lost him?!” Accuses Selina angrily.

“No. Not me. But he knew the danger of eating the fruit… Still…” she limps in the direction of Bruce’s bed. His body immobile, only the cadence of his breathing denouncing that he’s still alive. Raven raises a hand over him. “I can feel him, it’s like, he’s right in front of me, but he guards himself so… Maybe if I…” her eyes glow. “I can’t…” she falls again against Donna. “Oh…”

“Dick, she’s too tired,” warns Donna “we have to stop!”

“But dad!” argues Helena.

“If we don’t stop right now we might lose the both of them!” Donna replies angrily.

Raven, pulls herself straight again, her four eyes shining red. The shadows around the room begin to shift, Mary starts to cry bloody murder.

“Raven, snap out of it!” Donna shouts.

“No… Donna… I have to try” Raven’s voice don’t sound nothing like the usual now.

“You will die. Stop it now!” And seeing that her words make no effect, Donna punches Raven’s on the back of the head making her black out instantly. She grabs her friend’s body before she hit the floor. What a mess. But there was no way she would let Raven go full demon in a room full of non-metas. Once again she regrets not bringing Starfire.

They wheel Bruce back to the cave’s medbay to give Jason space. The boy manages a few words asking for water and complaining about numbness in his lower half. Selina tends to him with help of Alfred, and they call Leslie. It’s weird meeting her after the last time they saw each other, and Selina delegates to Alfred and the others to explain to her the whole situation. Selina herself, tries to keep busy, she feels like if she stops, if she thinks too much, she will snap, and she can’t, she just can’t.

She feels like when she just learned she was pregnant with Helena and Bruce was gone. The whole world seems tilted sideways. Reality is wonky, and absurd. Suddenly there is no difference between up and down, everything feels so fundamentally wrong, and yet, she can’t stop, she has no right to just, for a moment, fall apart, because everybody needs her.

She has a baby depending on her, a sick child, Helena… Oh her beautiful daughter. She doesn’t deserve to have her father for such a little time for just have him taken away from her like that. And Dick, her brave boy, she knows how guilty he must feel, after trying so hard. And Mary… No. Bruce promised she’d not have to do all that again without him. She put that ridiculous diamond in her finger and said forever, he… And there was Alfred, he’ll not survive losing Bruce again, she just knows it.

Selina marches around the house like a robot, and put each of her kids in bed, even Holly and Dick. She acknowledges the soothing comforting words slipping from her lips, and the hugs she gives, the tears she dries. But her own feelings, her own despair, that Selina locks up, holding the burning key close to her chest and ignoring the smoke getting to her eyes as her own turmoil consumes her.

“How are Donna and Raven?” She asks Alfred as he works around Bruce’s body.

For a moment she thinks he might not answer, that he’ll still ignore her like he had been doing since she left. For once, truly, Selina wouldn’t blame him. As much as she likes to tease him for it, Jeeves’ loyalty to Bruce and their family is the thing that makes her admire him so much. That and the crustless quiche, those are exceptional.

“Miss Roth is asleep,” he finally says, straitening his back, done with whatever he was doing to Bruce. “Dr Thompkins found nothing wrong with the young lady other than exhaustion. Miss Troy helped us to settle Master Bruce and is now taking care of her.”

“Good. I’ve…” she sucked the air in, leaning against the doorframe. “The children settled too. Even Mary was exhausted. What about Bruce? What did she said?”

Alfred hesitated and Selina’s breath hitched when she turned her gaze to him. His cane fell, he was shaking. Selina ran to his side, trying to offer her body as support.

“Alfred? Alfred are you okay?”

“Yes,” he assured her in a weak voice and patting her hand. Selina tried to lead him to a chair, but he refused. “I am tired, Madam. I am so tired… Dr Thompkins said there’s nothing she can do.”

“He is not-“

“No, he’s alive,” he assured her, trying to sooth her despair. “But, as Miss Roth said, he seems to be lost to us.”

“That’s not true” she argued feeling like a pathetic child answering back to an adult. “He promised, Alfred!”

“Oh my poor girl,” he raised his nebulous blue eyes to her, touching her face with incredibly fondness, like never before. “I have been unfair to you so many times. I was foolish, and selfish. Master Bruce would never be lead astray because of you,” he cleaned the tears falling down her cheeks with the handkerchief from his pocket. “And you have never been the cause of his recklessness. I can see that now. And… If he comes back to us one more time… Well, I believe it will be because he can’t resist chasing you” that earned a teary chuckle from her. “But if he doesn’t… I can only be grateful for the time we had, and what remain. You, my dear, the children.”

Unable to say anything for the first moment, Selina hugged the old man, crushing him hard against her body as he awkwardly patted her head. Then, she pushed him away delicately, shoving him weakly against his chest.

“Jeeves you are being so dramatic and sentimental,” she teased him sniffling and urging her tears to stop falling “are you having a stroke or something? Should I call Lee back?”

He accepted his cane back as she picked up from the floor for him, and schooled his face back to the aloofness of a British gentleman.

“I am perfectly fine, and will now retire to my quarters. Goodnight, Mrs. Wayne.”

She snorted.

“Goodnight, Alfred.”

She watched as he left, paying attention to if he needed additional aid, but other than a little stiffness of movement from tiredness, Alfred looked like always. Maybe Selina was wrong, maybe Alfred had other reasons to persevere other than Bruce. And from all the things he said, some that she didn’t even realised she had been craving to hear for so long, there was one that stuck. He thought Bruce came back to chase her.

As much as Selina was well aware of the hold she had on Bruce’s heart for a very long time she didn’t believe that was true. How could she? He had left before. And after all they said to each other, in that same room hours ago, although it felt years, Bruce was okay with the thought of leaving her again. He was not fine with losing her, but _her_ losing _him_? That was okay in his book.

But she was not having that crap again.

“You are such a coward, Bruce,” she said to his sleeping body “and I hate you so much.”

She sat on the bed beside him.

“I just don’t hate you right now more than I hate myself for letting you do this to me over and over again” she looked away from his unchanging face to her hands. She had taken off her gloves ages ago, and just now she realised how weird was to be in full Catwoman suit minus them and the cowl. “I never wanted to need anybody, and I never wanted to belong to you.”

Selina turned back to him again, her face contorted in anger.

“But you never hear, do you? It’s always _your_ way… You knew from the start that this wasn’t work, I _told you_ so many times, but you didn’t care. You are so arrogant that you convinced yourself _and me_ , that this would be good for us. You pursued me, and begged me to marry you and have more of your babies,” her voice wavered here, getting croaky as emotions took over again. “But you lied to me, you jerk!” She hit his chest weakly with one closed hand, the other one caressing him. “You promised me you were never leave again… So now you’ll just give up? You tell me that bunch load of crap about this family not surviving without me and then you just leave? No way José!”

Sucking her breath, Selina climbed on the bed and over Bruce’s body, shaking him.

“Wake up, Bruce! Wake up! Wake up!” she ordered completely out of control, slapping and punching him, trying to get a reaction, anything, but nothing seemed to work. “You are not leaving me again, I won’t let you do it to me twice!”

Tired, she finally stopped, sobbing, her forehead against his chest.

“I said it once and I do it again. I want you. No matter how I struggle with it, how I reject it, this whole time I tried to stay away from you, oh god, I tried so hard. But not for a moment…”

She raised her head, praying for blue eyes, but they remained closed.

“I want you, do you hear me? I’ll always want you. Come,” she slapped his chest again “back! Come back you asshole you are not turning me into a single parent of how many children he have now, I’ve lost the damn count. Come back, _please_ , I love you _so much_ , come back to me!”

She hears a deep sigh. Selina chokes, hope spreading through her veins like poison.

“How come all princesses get kisses and I am being abused like that?” Her face snaps up, eyes huge with surprise, mouth agape. Bruce raises a hand to her face. “Hi Cat, I heard you call.”

She makes a throaty, desperate sound, but doesn’t even try to say anything. Selina leans in and Bruce has his true love’s kiss.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There you have it, the end.
> 
> Just kidding hahaha. Well, kinda. The plot is over, I’ll write an epilogue to settle things and no more of this particular story. Boy, this one did a number on me, but I’m very proud of myself and couldn’t be more grateful for all the amazing people that I met and continued to interact with because of this story. I know it is cliché, but guys, it really means the world for me, each comment, each tweet, each kudo/like/reblog. It really makes me SO HAPPY. Thank you.
> 
> And now, I’m very tired of writing emotional scenes. I want to work on something very slice-of-lifey next haha.


	39. Epilogue - Forever

> _"Can you imagine yourself in paradise?  
>  Even the daughter of gods must know loneliness,  
> must sometimes want nothing more than to be  
> trapped in a hell of forevers. Thank me, you queen.  
> I've given you forever."_
> 
> _\- Clementine von Radics (Letter from Hades to Persephone, fragment)_

Selina fought to scrape the few left sprinkles glued to her sticky fingers to the top of the monstrosity sitting on top of the counter.

“I mean... If you squint it looks pretty good!” she said over-optimistically.

Helena’s lips twitched, but Jason was the only brave enough to speak first.

“It looks way better if I close my eyes shut,” he deadpanned, between licks on the wooden spoon Selina used to mix the batter, there was chocolate all over his face. Six months passed since he was finally back to land of the living. His body had taken a huge toll both from the violence he suffered and the long period of coma. The biggest of all changes was that now he couldn’t walk anymore, and although it had being really hard in the beginning, nowadays he was happy to show off all he could do in his wheelchair, and got a new interest in creating gadgets to improve it to better fit his lifestyle. Lucius was really impressed with his new little apprentice.

The laughter escaped from Helena’s lips like an explosion and she bended over holding her tummy.

“Say it again, squirt!” but it was clear that Selina was also having trouble to control her face still.

Jason rolled his wheelchair backwards, preparing his escape.

“I said what I said!” and laughing he skilfully turned the chair around and pushed the control stick forward full speed – something he was technically not allowed to do, considering his chair wasn’t exactly a regular store bought one, especially in Alfred’s kitchen – fleeing his mother as she chased him down the corridor.

“Run, Jaybird!” cheered Helena fighting to laugh and run after the two of them at the same time.

“Traitor!” yelled Selina over her shoulder “whose side you are?”

“Of the truth!” Helena answered.

“Clear off!” shouted Jason, bringing Selina’s and Helena’s attention back forward.

“Jason! You promised you wouldn’t run indoors!” chastised Bruce in a confused and yet well-aware tone that denounced that he was going to keep being ignored.

It was too late for Selina to stop when she turned her face forward again, and unlike Jason’s chair she had no anti-shock sensors, her body hit Bruce’s with full speed, and if he didn’t spend ten years building himself like a wall of meat, he’d had toppled down like Humpty Dumpty.

Bruce held his wife’s body in place while glancing behind to see Helena climbing the furniture and jumping propelling her body forward to try to get to Jason, she landed on the backrest of his chair and they speed up to the garden laughing like mad people. They still fought for silly stuff sometimes, but there was a new kind of complicity between them, that made them to be more generous with each other these days.

“What is even going on?” Bruce asked in an almost scared tone.

Selina, who he had just noticed now, had powered sugar on her cheek smiled at him in very suspicious way.

“Nothing!”

“Nothing?” he repeated, “so… Do I call the contractors now to fix whatever you did to the kitchen or…?”

Se wrinkled her nose disapprovingly.

“Haha, very funny.”

“Cat, I mean it. I like to keep you around, and if you ruined Alfred’s kitchen I might have to send you back.”

She pushed him back while he chuckled, feeing annoyance.

“You are such an asshole, B” she licked chocolate from her fingers, and with her mouth still full, asked, “send me back where?”

He pulled her closer, leaning into her, his eyes getting darker. Selina licked her lips and turned her chin slightly upwards.

“You know,” he said against her ear “you are my kitty cat,” he kissed clean the sugar on her cheek, Selina closed her eyes shut and swallowed a moan “so… from the shelter?”

Her whole body started shaking, and she opened her eyes, grabbing his face with her hands.

“You are _so_ bad at this, like soooo bad.”

Undisturbed by the very recurrent occurrence of being made fun of in his own house, Bruce smashed his lips against hers.

“Still got you to marry me,” his kisses lowered to her neck.

She sighed.

“Oh, but you didn’t win me with that lameass flirting.”

“Yeah?” his hands found their way under her shirt, going upwards. “What was it then?”

“Humm” she made, guiding his body with her on towards the wall “lemme se…” his hands reached her bra, undoing it non-ceremonially. Selina looked over her shoulder, and not catching any glimpse of children in her periphery, she turned back to Bruce, looking straight into his eyes “well, there was your huge” she made a deliberate pause and cupped his crotch “fortune.”

Alfred did bake a cake himself to be sure, he was pretty honest about his hopes of seeing Selina making anything edible, he had none. Dick was coming home for the party too, usually he would just call, especially considering how he avoided Gotham in the dead of winter, but he had missed all the holidays, Bruce said it was fine but pouted and brooded for days. So, he promised to come home for Bruce’s birthday. What surprised everyone was that he announced he wouldn’t be coming alone, and that he would bring the _girlfriend_ to properly meet the family this time. He did not ask, he told Bruce. Small, but still brave. Alfred was proud of him, all grown up, but his old heart still ached. Another of his boys found someone else.

That settle the matter of the cake, there was no way in hell Alfred would not serve an ugly, inedible cake to royalty, no matter what Madam said about being able to feed herself for years. He didn’t remember it like that.

They’d have a huge gala in the evening, of course, but the real deal of the day was lunch with, finally, the whole family. Bruce and Selina were late, as usual, and giggling like teenagers as they walked down the stairs. Of course Alfred was happy for them, of course. Especially after the nine rings of hell they had been through the past year, but it would somewhat always be annoying how sometimes they could barely function when they were happy. He had no doubt he’d have to endure the both of them playing footsie through the whole meal, and only god knew what ludicrous situation they would pull at the gala.

Everybody stood up, except Jason, of course, and clapped singing happy birthday when they entered the dining room, Dick whistled and Helena covered Mary’s ears and told him to cut it out.

“Thank you,” Bruce said sitting on at the head of the table.

“Speech, speech, speech!” Dick, Helena, Jason and Selina started chanting; even Mary tried to joy in, despite not having the slightest idea of what a ‘speech’ was.

Bruce paled and took a sip of his water hoping they would give up if he ignored them, never happened before, but he could always try.

“Guys, come on, give him a break,” interceded Holly.

“Thank you, Holly,” Bruce said with genuine gratitude, “you are the only one getting into my will.”

A wave of moans spread through the table and Bruce got a scone thrown at his face before it hit him, and gave it a bite.

“So,” he said after swallowing, “we have a royal guest today, introduce her to the family, Chum.”

Dick made a displeased face at the nickname, it had the power of make him feel like he was 12 again, wasn’t Jason _‘Chum’_ now? He cleaned his throat and picked Kory’s hand, noticing she was shaking, he smiled fondly at her, it was rare to see Kory insecure about something, to have her like that because she was meeting his family for the first time endeared him.

“Mom, Dad,” Dick started glancing to each one of them, Selina exchanged a teary look with Bruce whose face was still, but they all knew was just a mask “Grandpa Al,” Alfred snorted, but everybody knew he liked when the kids called him that. “Annoying little siblings and Holly,” Helena stretched her tongue at him and Jason rolled his eyes, Holly just smiled, Mary blew a raspberry. “This is Princess Koriand’r of Tamaran, my Starfire.”

“I am very grateful to be invited to the happy occasion of your day of birth, Mr Wayne,” said the alien girl, her cheeks a shade darker of orange.

“Are you comfortable in our house, your highness?” asked Bruce.

She beamed, her body relaxing, Dick noticed his own heart rate slowing too. He knew very well what Bruce thought about metas, especially aliens, but it looked like after the whole affair with Jason, his mind was opening.

“Please, call me Kory. And yes, you have a very beautiful house.”

“Oh, that’s on Alfie,” said Helena whom already knew Kory very well from her trips to Titans Tower, “we have no say in how things look like.”

“If I let any of you have a say, Miss,” said Alfred serving Jason a generous portion of peas and carrots despite the boy’s face of disgust, “we probably wouldn’t have a house. Don’t forget your parents got this place blown to the ground.”

“Excuse me,” replied Selina, her mouth full, “that was so not our fault!”

“Yes, it was, Madam. And eat with your mouth closed, we have a guest!”

“What about the cake?” asked Dick accepting the tray with potato salad from Holly and trying to stop another of Selina’s and Alfred’s endless discussions before it even began.

“Oh… the cake,” said Jason in a suffering tone “you will _not_ want to see that.”

Helena started giggling. Selina’s neck snapped in the direction of her youngest son.

“You didn’t complain when you were licking the batter.”

“The batter and the final monster were two completely different creatures,” he was reading Frankenstein now.

Bruce choked with his food and Selina reached to do what should be patting his back, but looked a lot more violent than it should.

“Do you see what kind of abuse I take, goldie?” said Selina, turning to the guest. “Think about that before joining this loony bin.”

The new Wayne family portrait was revealed at the gala, it was Alfred’s and Selina’s joined present, she even convinced him to hire her favourite forger, the one who painted Helena when she was little, whom she believed was so much better than the snobbish reputed artist he wanted to hire. Selina did not like the way that woman felt comfortable talking as if she agreed with her bigotry, but that happened a lot these days when people took her for Bruce Wayne’s wife and assumed she was born to that word. Besides, her art was what Selina considered ‘meh’ in a good day.

She liked how it ended up, the painting, even if it looked a little cliché. And she made sure to include Alfred too, although that had being another whole drama. Why everybody in that house had to be so damn difficult? When he told her it wasn’t proper to have staff in the family portrait she felt like her eyes would roll permanently into her skull. But in the end there he was, baldy Alfred in oil and canvas, next to the family he had been holding together for three generations now.

Sipping from her flute of champagne, she watched the party unfold. Lee had managed to make Gordon come and was dancing with him, he was still mad at Bruce because of the whole Batgirl affair. The hypocritical jerk. Selina had not stepped her toes in that mess, Bruce knew what she thought about the kids fighting crime, and by what she heard, it had not been his idea, and all he had done was damage control.

Barbara came too, of course, she would never miss a party, Selina heard she was seeing a woman lately, a retired cop from her past, her old crime mom had a type it seems. She was happy for Barbara, she deserved to be happy too, no matter what other people may think. Nobody that judged her had a clean past. And despite everything, Barbara had been the person that, at the end of the day had always offered her shoulder when Selina needed, even if Selina herself couldn’t always accept it. But she would give Barbara some love later, now she was trying to entertain herself by watching her birthday boy play billionaire Brucie Wayne to the guests.

She felt it was almost cruel how he had to do that even in a day that supposed to be about him. That morning when she woke him up in a very, very pleasant way, she asked him how it would be if he could get the birthday of his dreams. The sappy shit told her, he already was having it. But she knew it was bullshit, there was no way in hell his perfect birthday included talking about golf with Jack Drake, Selina was glad his wife haven’t found her yet, if she had to endure another chitchat about how hard it was to find help these days, she would have to visit that woman’s jewellery box again. She has this amazing collection of pearl earrings from the 14th century, but the pieces keeps disappearing one by one…

But Bruce, she was thinking about Bruce. She woke him up doing that thing with her tongue that he liked, check. She baked a horrible cake that he ate a piece with tears in his eyes and pretended it was good before she told him to quit lying, check that one too. Oh they had sex earlier too, when they met at the corridor, but did that count as a birthday present? Well, now it did, check. She used very dirty emotional blackmail to bring Dick home for the day, that’s a huge check.

She looked for her son in the crowd, and found him slow-dancing with his girlfriend, it was cute, Selina didn’t have a solid opinion about her yet, she noticed that the girl wasn’t exactly what she expected from a princess, despite smiling a little too much, which could be annoying. Her English sounded weird sometimes and when Alfred commented on it earlier, Dick chocked with the three cookies he was trying to eat at the same time, but it wasn’t like him to be ashamed for that… It was suspicious, she’d have to dig deeper. Helena and Barbara Lee seemed to be like her well enough, and Jason always became beet red every time she even glanced at him, that was spectacle by itself. But the person to whom Dick’s girlfriend made the most strong impression was beyond any doubt Mary, it was almost impossible to unravel her little chubby fingers from the huge mass of red hair of the alien girl.

Her thoughts trailed off when she noticed the light flashing behind her, and Selina turned to find the Bat signal lighting the pollution clouded skies through the tall windows of the ballroom. Her eyes looked for Bruce’s and she smiled devilishly. Catwoman had not get the chance to give him her present.

“You done?” She asked, sitting on the rail of the fire staircase of the alley Batman had just captured the last remaining goons that fled after he stopped Oswald’s and Nygma’s last stupid plan.

He finished arranging the goons’ unconscious bodies against the dirty wall and sent a message to CGPD before looking up at her.

“Now I am…” he jumped on the stairs, and she used her whip to climb higher. “You didn’t help,” he accused her when they get to rooftop.

“And miss the show?” she said, she was now walking on the edge, just waiting a move of his. “Nah… Besides, you didn’t need me.”

He smirked and threatened a step forward.

“What if I wanted you?”

She turned around, mostly to give him a good show of her latex covered body.

“That,” Catwoman said glancing at him over her shoulder cheekily, “you always do…” and she fell, her eyes closed, bliss spreading through her body as another game of cat and mouse started.

Her laugh echoed through the night as she avoided Batman’s attempts to catch her in mid fall, but she didn’t make him suffer too long that night, after all, it was his birthday. And when he finally pinned her on the ground of one tall rooftop, she just wished that moment, right there with him, his body covering hers, so solid, his lips on hers, so alive, the way he told her over and over how much he loved her, so real. That was worth changing for, to settle for more than just surviving, it was worth all the twenty-seven names for tears she dropped to keep it, and to have that forever she would face whatever hell threw back at her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It’s finally done. And I’m sad. But also happy. Well, I’m feeling accomplished, that’s for sure. I just wished this was posted on B’s birthday, but things will be like that sometimes.
> 
> My beautiful, wonderful readers that walked the path of this story with me, thank you so much for the vote of trust, all the smiles, all the love, you are in my heart forever.
> 
> To you who decided to read this 80k fic at 4am on a Sunday, you are brave af, and I love you too.
> 
> I’ll not probably write a sequel to this. I think they suffered enough haha. But Itzel suggested a sort of AU that made me very interested, so, you will hear from me soon. There is also my story ‘Want’ that is a WIP that I did not gave up on, just haven’t find the right time and right muse to finish yet.
> 
> That’s it, send me comments, find me on twitter @selinascatnip and my writing blog on tumblr @pandoraimperatrix you can see the artwork in better quality on my art blog @pandoraidraws too
> 
> Be safe and take care!


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